Nottingham Forest signed Alex Moreno in the summer transfer window with the defender joining on loan from Aston Villa.
The transfer proved to be one that was two years in the making. Forest agreed on a deal to sign Moreno from Real Betis in 2022 but the player had a change of heart.
Six months after that, he did leave the Seville-based outfit and joined Aston Villa in a deal worth £13 million.
Moreno was a regular in the Villa team during the second half of 2022/23 but last season was more of a struggle following a hamstring injury which saw him lose his place.
Now, Forest are benefitting from Villa allowing Moreno to leave on loan, with the Spaniard a mainstay in the team under Nuno Espirito Santo.
Alan Shearer praised Moreno earlier in the season and things are going extremely well for the 31-year-old at Forest.
Now, the player could actually hold the key to Forest completing a seriously big signing during the next transfer window.
Alex Moreno of Nottingham Forest during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Emirates Stadium on November 23, 2...
Photo by Mark Leech/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Forest singing Moreno is the key to Evan Ferguson deal
The news this week that has excited Forest fans is that Brighton striker Ferguson will be allowed out on loan in January.
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A Republic of Ireland international, the striker is trying to reach full fitness after an ankle injury and the Seagulls are willing to let him leave temporarily.
Forest fans reacted that Ferguson should be snapped up but those hopes should be tempered a little bit.
According to The Telegraph, Ferguson is valued at £60 million and that price feels like a bit of a non-starter from a Forest perspective.
In terms of a loan, there’s an issue two with Forest already having the two allocated loan spots for domestic signings taken with Moreno and James Ward-Prowse.
If the Reds are serious about Ferguson, left-back Moreno is the man who holds the key and signing him permanently could open the door.
Forest do hold an option to sign Moreno it’s believed and he would make a very useful signing if the price is right.
He’s unlikely to get a game at Villa any time soon and given that he’s playing regularly, he’s hardly likely to turn Forest down.
Ferguson signing would have pros and cons
Most signings do have positive and negative implications – not least ones that happen on loan.
The worry with Ferguson is that he’s on the back of a troublesome ankle problem and he might take some time to get up to speed.
There is also a sense that at £60 million, Forest are unlikely to buy him any time soon and it puts a plaster over an issue in the short term.
Forest have done brilliant work in the transfer market over the last few months but something doesn’t quite feel right about nurturing another club’s top talent for him to then go back there and play.
However, it’s a case of needs must and if Forest remain in and around the top half when it comes to January, perhaps Ferguson is worth the risk in the short term.
Moreno is the man holding the aces though and if Forest can get a permanent deal struck for the left-back, perhaps it will be a case of full steam ahead to land Ferguson.
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