Nottingham Forest close to agreement with Arsenal for striker transfer | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest are now close to agreeing a fee with Arsenal for the transfer of Eddie Nketiah, with talks on personal terms also progressing.

CARSON, CALIFORNIA: Eddie Nketiah heads the ball during the first half during a pre-season friendly match between Arsenal FC and AFC Bournemouth at Dignity Health Sports Park on July 24, 2024. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)

David Ornstein reports for The Athletic that Nottingham Forest are now close to agreeing on a fee with Arsenal for the transfer of Eddie Nketiah.

Forest are also progressing talks over the player’s personal terms, after making him their top striker target.

Both sets of talks are continuing, with a deal evidently not done yet, but it’s looking increasingly likely.

Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah controls the ball during the pre-season club friendly football match between Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 31, 2024. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)

Forest initially bid £25m for Nketiah, including add-ons, but Arsenal were looking for a figure in the region of £30-35m. It looks like the clubs are closing in on a compromise, though Ornstein doesn’t specify exactly what the figure is.

One alternative signing for Forest was Santiago Gimenez of Feyenoord, but Ornstein reports that their approaches fall short of the Dutch club’s valuation and the striker isn’t pushing to make it happen.

This is consistent with reports from the Netherlands on Tuesday, with Marcel van der Kraan reporting for De Telegraaf that Gimenez hasn’t been convinced by Forest and that the two clubs were still apart on their valuation of him.

CARSON, CALIFORNIA: Eddie Nketiah of Arsenal FC moves the ball against AFC Bournemouth during the first half during a pre-season friendly match between Arsenal FC and AFC Bournemouth at Dignity Health Sports Park on July 24, 2024. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)

Fabrizio Romano reported on Wednesday morning that Forest still had both players on their shortlist, but it looks as though they’re now edging closer to a deal for Nketiah.

Nketiah made 37 appearances for Arsenal last season, though just 13 of those were starts. The striker made appearances throughout pre-season and was in Mikel Arteta’s squad against Wolves on Saturday.