Financial details emerge of Nottingham Forest’s transfer approach for Reading player | OneFootball

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Football League World

·4 August 2021

Financial details emerge of Nottingham Forest’s transfer approach for Reading player

Article image:Financial details emerge of Nottingham Forest’s transfer approach for Reading player

Nottingham Forest have this week turned their transfer attentions to Reading midfielder Josh Laurent – and it looks as though they’re willing to splash the cash in order to bring him to the City Ground.

Paul Taylor of The Athletic reported that the Reds had tested the resolve of the Royals with an initial bid, but it was knocked back by the Berkshire outfit who didn’t see it matching the 26-year-old’s valuation.


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Football Insider have now revealed what the region of the offer that Forest made for Laurent – a bid of between £2 million and £3 million is said to have been tabled for Reading’s Player of the Season for 2020-21.

Laurent joined the Royals from Shrewsbury Town of League One in the summer of 2020 and formed a partnership with Andy Rinomhota in Reading’s engine room last season.

Quiz: Can you remember the score from Nottingham Forest’s last 15 opening day matches?

1 of 15

QPR (A) - 2020/21

1-0 loss

2-0 loss

2-1 loss

3-1 loss

His combative performances led to him being awarded the top prize amongst Reading players at the end of the last campaign and it’s led to transfer interest from teams other than Forest, with Rangers and Brighton both linked earlier on in the window, via The Sun.

But if anyone is to take advantage of the fact that Laurent is out of contract next summer it will seemingly be Forest, who remains a transfer target despite their opening offer being turned down.

The Verdict

Forest’s apparent initial bid is way down on the valuation that Reading apparently had of Laurent according to The Sun – which was £8 million.

The Royals could probably expect that kind of money for someone with multiple years left on his contract, but if that’s still their price-tag then they seriously risk losing Laurent on a free next summer.

Reading have already cashed in on Michael Olise this summer but they’re still operating under a transfer embargo which has seriously complicated Veljko Paunovic’s plans.

Cashing in on Laurent may alleviate some financial concerns but at the same time they’d be strengthening a league rival, so it will be interesting to see how far Forest push in their pursuit for Laurent in the coming weeks.

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