After getting a preview of life without Chris Wood in recent weeks, Nottingham Forest are now reportedly plotting a summer swoop to sign a talented goalscorer who has a release clause worth a hefty £80m this summer.
Nottingham Forest continue striker search
Whilst a goalscorer may seem like the last position that Nottingham Forest need to sign this summer following Wood’s excellent campaign, there’s no escaping the fact that the New Zealand forward is now 33 years old.
In many ways, of course, his age makes his goalscoring exploits all the more impressive, but it should also spark concern over just how much longer Wood will be at the peak of his ways. And Forest can’t afford to be relying on an ageing player to lead Nuno Espirito Santo’s attack on a weekly basis if they are to balance both Premier League and European football next season.
Mohamed Salah
27
Erling Haaland
21
Alexander Isak
20
Chris Wood
18
Bryan Mbuemoo
16
With that said, a number of names have already been mentioned in recent weeks as Forest go in search of another goalscorer – the biggest of which being Victor Osimhen.
In what would be one of the deals of the summer, the Napoli striker could finally get a permanent move out of Italy and to an unexpected destination in the City Ground. With the potential of Champions League football to offer, however, anything is possible for Nottingham Forest in the coming months, including Osimhen’s shock arrival.
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The Nigerian isn’t the only talented forward who’s threatening to steal the headlines, however, with another one of Europe’s most clinical goalscorers also potentially on the move to Nottingham Forest this summer.
Nottingham Forest plotting £80m Pavlidis move
According to The Boot Room, Nottingham Forest are plotting a move to sign Vangelis Pavlidis from Benfica this summer, joining a race which already reportedly includes Newcastle United and Everton in pursuit of the striker’s signature.
It’s not a deal that will come cheap though, with reports indicating that Pavlidis has a release clause worth as much as £80m in his current Benfica deal and the Portuguese club likely to demand every penny of that to part ways with the Greece international.
Whether Forest will be willing to spend such a price remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt that the 26-year-old is capable of becoming Nuno’s replacement for the ageing Wood for years to come.
What certainly helps Pavlidis’ chances of securing a top move this summer is the fact that he recently made history by becoming the first Benfica player to score a hat-trick against Porto at the Estadio do Draga. Saving his best performance for one of the biggest games of his side’s season, the forward took his total for the season up to 24 goals as Benfica soared to a 4-1 victory.
Six more than the 18 goals that Wood has managed at Nottingham Forest this season, Benfica’s history-maker could yet become Nuno’s latest star if those in the Midlands make a big-money move this summer.