Nottingham Forest will face some stiff competition should they decide to pursue in-demand teenage defender El Hadji Malick Diouf in January.
The Reds have been credited with an interest in the Slavia Prague left-back as they look ahead to the winter transfer window. Brentford, Villarreal and Rennes have also been linked with the 19-year-old.
However, the Daily Mirror report the actual number of clubs monitoring Diouf is much higher. They claim “almost half of the Premier League ” have sent scouts to watch him in action in recent months, with nine of them keen on the youngster ahead of January.
In addition to Forest and the Bees, Crystal Palace are also identified as being among Diouf’s list of admirers. And the Mirror add clubs from Spain, Germany and France are “also in contention” for his signature.
The Senegal international, who is under contract until 2028, joined Slavia Prague from Norwegian outfit Tromso at the start of this year. The suggestion is he will move on again in a few weeks’ time, and potentially for a Czech-record fee.
The division’s current record sale is Tomas Soucek from Slavia Prague to West Ham United for £15 million in July 2020. A price tag of €15m (£12.4m) has been mooted for Diouf, but Slavia chief Jaroslav Tvrdik seemingly has his sights set on banking more than that.
The “dream scenario” for Diouf’s current employers, if they do lose him when the window reopens, would be to get him back on loan for six months. But Stanislav Tecl, who works in an upstairs role at Slavia assisting first-team operations, has admitted such a deal is unlikely to happen.
He recently told Czech media (via the Mirror): "That's a dream scenario, but I can't imagine it. If the one that Jaroslav Tvrdik wants to be the most expensive departure comes true, I don't know if it will work out.
“When you buy a player for that kind of money, you won't let him play anywhere for six months. It would be the best option for us of course but if it was me, I wouldn't do it."
Tecl added: “Malick is a smart guy who knows anything can happen. He needs to get through the fall well and then we will talk about whether he will be willing to help us for another six months."
Aston Villa loanee Alex Moreno is currently first-choice left-back for Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, and the club have an option to make his move permanent at the end of the season. Harry Toffolo is the other out-and-out left-back in the squad, but his contract is due to expire in the summer.
The Reds also have Omar Richards on the books, but he is spending the campaign on loan at Rio Ave as he looks to build up his fitness following injury problems. Ola Aina and Neco Williams are also capable of playing at left-back, with the club eager to tie the former down to fresh terms before his deal ends in 2025.
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