Mainz boss Bo Svensson has spoken about the possibility of losing Nottingham Forest target Moussa Niakhate.
The Reds are said to be back in talks over a move for the centre-back, as head coach Steve Cooper looks to strengthen his defensive ranks. A fee upwards of £10m has been mooted, after a difference in valuation had previously been a stumbling block.
The skipper has been a key figure for Mainz, making 33 appearances and scoring four goals last season. With 12 months left on his contract, he was linked with Everton, Newcastle United and West Ham United earlier in the year.
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Svensson says the Bundesliga outfit’s position “in the food chain” means they are always at risk of losing players who impress. And he adds they try to make sure they are prepared for losing the likes of Niakhate.
"That's the downside of performing and performing well," he told Goal. "We know that we have clubs that have more money than us and will look at players that were doing well at Mainz because that's just natural.
"That's where we are in the food chain, so what we can do about it is we can prepare ourselves as well as possible, keep an eye out on players who could be interesting to replace Moussa or replace some of the other players just to strengthen our own team and be as well as prepared as we as we possibly can. It's too bad that we cannot go on with the same players year after year, but we're not the only team who have this challenge and it's also the normal way of things that you have to be able to adjust and think ahead, so we've been well prepared for things that would happen this summer.
"In the football world things are unpredictable. So sometimes you just have to accept things, sometimes some things you can plan for, and other things you have to be flexible and accept that you are where you are."
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