Nottingham Forest rivalling Celtic in race to sign in-demand forward | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest are reportedly rivalling the likes of Celtic in the race to sign Stade Rennais forward M’baye Niang, according to journalist Ekrem Konur.

Niang has been with Stade Rennais since 2019, and has gone on to make 92 appearances in total for the club over the years.

He has netted 30 goals in those 92 appearances for the French side over the years, although he spent time out on loan with Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli.

Konur reports that the likes of Venezia, Nantes and Anderlecht are also believed to be keen on reaching an agreement to sign Niang this summer, although it’s unclear as to which club is leading the race to land his signature.

The 26-year-old has previously been on the books with the likes of AC Milan and Torino earlier in his career, and will be looking to have his future resolved in the near future.

Niang has two years remaining on his current contract with Stade Rennais, and that seems to have heightened interest in his services from other clubs this summer.

A move to the City Ground with Nottingham Forest could potentially tempt the striker as well, with Chris Hughton looking to bolster his attacking options ahead of the new Championship season.

Lyle Taylor’s future with the Reds remains unclear at this moment in time, with the former Charlton Athletic forward being linked with an exit earlier in the transfer window.

Forest finished 17th in the Championship table last term, and will be looking for much-needed improvements heading into the new league campaign.

The Reds are set to take on Coventry City in their opening match of the 2021/22 season, in what is likely to be a tricky test for Hughton’s side on Sunday 8th August.

Have these players ever scored a goal against Nottingham Forest?

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Has Matej Vydra ever scored a goal against Nottingham Forest?

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The Verdict:

This could be a smart signing by Forest if they can get an agreement in place.

Niang is a player that they clearly rate highly, and he could be the ideal competition for Lewis Grabban this season, as I’ve not been completely convinced that Lyle Taylor is the player that Forest need to challenge higher up the Championship table.

Forest won’t have it all their way when it comes to trying to negotiate a deal to sign Niang, with Celtic and Anderlecht being just some of the teams interested in landing his signature.

They’ll have to offer him first-team assurances over a starting spot this season, otherwise they might struggled in their efforts to sign him.