Nottingham Forest scouting mission revealed ahead of 'inevitable' summer transfer
by Sarah Clapson · NottinghamshireLiveNottingham Forest have reportedly watched Club Brugge midfielder Ardon Jashari in action as they plot their summer transfer business.
It will be a key window for the Reds, regardless of whether they find themselves planning for a European campaign. As it is, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have a very good chance of securing Champions League football with 10 games of the Premier League season remaining.
Qualifying for Europe would almost certainly mean ensuring head coach Nuno has a deeper squad to utilise next term. But either way, the summer will see changes made to the dressing room with both ins and outs on the cards.
According to Belgian publication Voetbal Primeur, Forest are among a number of teams to have scouted Jashari recently. They are said to have attended the first leg of Brugge’s Champions League last-16 tie at home to Aston Villa last week.
Jashari played the full 90 minutes as his team fell to a 3-1 defeat, eventually being knocked out of the competition on Wednesday evening as they lost 3-0 in the return leg in the West Midlands. Scouts from Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Brentford and Brighton and Hove Albion were also reportedly in attendance at the same time as the Reds.
A summer move is said to be “almost inevitable” for the 22-year-old, who is a key player for his club. Former Burnley midfielder Steven Defour believes English football’s top tier would be the perfect fit for the Switzerland international.
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"He is the best player in our league and perhaps even one of the best of the last 10 years," he told Voetbal Primeur. "His combination of energy, aggression and calmness on the ball is unique. He reads the game excellently and is technically strong enough to compete at the highest level.
"The time when it was just running and pounding is long gone. His dynamism and way of playing forward would not be out of place in a team from the English sub-top."
The centre of the pitch is an area where Forest are currently well stocked. However, they have been linked with a number of midfielders ahead of the summer.