Reds set to seal deal for Niakhate as ‘fee agreed’
FRENCH DEFENDER EXPECTED TO BECOME FOURTH NEW SUMMER ARRIVAL ON TRENTSIDE, WITH CLAIM DEAL WORTH £15M IS DONE
NOTTINGHAM Forest are said to have agreed a fee to sign centreback Moussa Niakhate.
The Reds have been chasing the Mainz man for some time, as they look to bolster their defensive ranks. And a move now looks to be firmly on the cards.
A deal has now completed, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. Forest are set to shell out £10m, plus £5m worth of add-ons, to secure his services, with a medical to take place this week.
Should all go as planned, Niakhate would become the fourth new arrival at the City Ground this summer.
Forward Taiwo Awoniyi, goalkeeper Dean Henderson and defender Giulian Biancone have already put pen to paper.
Club captain Niakhate has been with Mainz since 2018, having made the move from Metz. Last season, he made 33 appearances and scored four goals, while he has featured 135 times in total for the German outfit. He has 12 months left to run on his contract and was linked with Everton, Newcastle United and West Ham United earlier in the year.
The Reds have been looking to strengthen their options in central defence as they prepare to make the step up to the Premier League. Forest’s player of the season Scott Mckenna, Joe Worrall and January arrival Steve Cook were key figures in the second half of the campaign as promotion was secured, providing a solid foundation at the back.
Biancone adds to the options, and can also play at right-back. Youngsters Loic Mbe Soh and Jonathan Panzo are also on the books, although it may be that one or both would benefit from a loan spell.
Cooper’s men are currently in Spain on a training camp as they build up to the new campaign.
After linking up with the team over the weekend, both Henderson and Biancone have made the trip.