Samuel Mbangula is being heavily linked with Nottingham Forest, but one of his future competitors in the squad is showing that he won’t give up his position easily.
Juventus fans can’t believe they’re selling Mbangula to Forest given the promise that the Belgian has shown, but it looks as if the winger may be heading to the City Ground.
The 21-year-old is seemingly available for just £8m, which could be a brilliant piece of business for the club, especially given that Mbangula is excited about the Premier League opportunity.
His place in the Forest squad on the left isn’t guaranteed, though, as one forgotten Reds player is putting in extra work to prove himself to Nuno Espírito Santo.
Ramon Sosa dribbles in the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Nottingham Forest and Luton Town
Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Ramon Sosa spotted in intense private training before pre-season
Whether down to his own abilities or the strength of his teammates, Ramon Sosa’s move to Forest last summer hasn’t worked out.
Currently, it seems the only thing keeping the Paraguayan at the club is that Sosa wants to remain in Europe, rejecting advances from Palmeiras to keep his options open.
Perhaps, though, his time under Espírito Santo isn’t quite over yet, as the Forest manager must be impressed by the extra training Sosa is doing ahead of pre-season.
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Sosa has been keeping his sharpness with a private coach in Paraguay, showing his determination not to let his career slip just because of one poor season. Forest would want to recoup their money for Sosa should a sale be the final decision, but perhaps this commitment will urge Nuno to give him a chance.
Like the potential signing of Mbangula, Sosa could arrive at pre-season as almost an unknown entity for the Forest coaching staff, with some of the stats from his limited gametime last season suggesting that he could still offer something alongside Mbangula.
Ramon Sosa has shown glimpses of potential at Nottingham Forest
He wasn’t seen often, but Sosa did impress Forest fans against Luton Town in the FA Cup, a game that saw the winger bag a goal and an assist.
Sosa only played 281 minutes in the Premier League for the Reds, but the stats behind his appearances again show that there is potential for the Paraguayan to make the Mbangula signing obsolete.
Statistic Ramon Sosa
Shots on target per 90 1.60
Chances created per 90 2.56
Sucessful dribbles per 90 2.56
Duels won per 90 8.01
Ramon Sosa showed some promise
Of course, this data is limited to the few minutes he played, but the chances created and shots on target show that Sosa was at least attempting to make an impact when he played last season.
Therefore, if he arrives for pre-season with a point to prove, it’s worth considering in respect to the Mbangula deal, as the Belgian might end up playing catch-up.