Nottingham Forest Reds linked with £103m “Octopus”

The City Ground side are already assessing their options ahead of January.

Nottingham Forest may be preparing to make a bid for an exciting player, but according to a recent claim, they aren’t the only team interested in bringing him to the Premier League.

What is the most recent Nottingham Forest transfer news?
Over the summer, Steve Cooper was extremely busy in the transfer window, bringing in a total of 14 new faces, including Ibrahim Sangare, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Divock Origi, to name a few. However, while there were plenty of new recruits entering the building, there were also a large number of players departing.

Brennan Johnson led the big-name permanent exits, while Jonjo Shelvey, Emmanuel Dennis, and Lewis O’Brien were all loaned out, according to Transfermarkt, and with a bit more space in the squad freed up, the manager will be able to bolster his ranks even further in January.

One of the players he could target is Benfica defensive midfielder Florentino Luis, who, despite having four years left on his contract, could find himself on the move after previously being linked with a move to The City Ground.

The Reds reportedly entered the race to sign the 24-year-old in August, and while the same outlet claimed that they were preparing an approach, a deal did not materialize before the deadline, but if the following update is to be believed, the hierarchy are now considering taking a second bite of the cherry.

Florentino Luis has been signed by Nottingham Forest.
According to the Portuguese publication O Jogo (via Sport Witness), Nottingham Forest, along with Fulham, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich, might make a “irrefutable” offer for Luis.

Benfica’s central talisman, who is sponsored by Adidas, has a €120 million (£103 million) release clause in his contract, but his current market worth is only €20 million (£17 million), implying that a cheaper deal is possible.

The Eagles are already looking for a replacement because they know their star will be leaving in the new year, and with his list of admirers growing, it “isn’t known” how much longer they will be able to keep their precious commodity.

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Is Florentino Luis a good player?

Previously, Luis has been dubbed a “Portuguese Octopus” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig and the way that he protects his backline when sitting in front of them is remarkable, so it comes as no surprise to learn that Cooper and Nottingham Forest have reignited their interest in their former target.

The Team of Future client currently ranks in the 99th percentile for interceptions and the 96th percentile for tackles, via FBRef, displaying his ability to win back possession for his team and get stuck into challenges, but he’s also capable of having a positive impact at the opposite end of the pitch.

Since the start of his career, Luis, who has the versatility to operate slightly higher up in central midfield alongside his usual role, has posted 13 contributions (ten assists and three goals), so being such a well-rounded player, it would be a massive coup if he was to put pen to paper in the Midlands in January.