Nuno Espirito Santo’s side had an extremely impressive 2024/25 season, finishing in 7th place and securing European football. They actually spent most of the campaign in the top four spots. However, as they look to strengthen the squad ahead of the new season, bad news has come as Nottingham Forest have left negotiations for Samuel Mbangula.
Nottingham Forest ‘Leave Negotiations’ for Samuel Mbangula After Timothy Weah Rejection
Forest Unconvinced By ‘Current Conditions of Deal’
Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Mbangula’s transfer to Nottingham Forest now appears to be off the cards. The journalist reported today that the club “leave the negotiations” between Juventus and themselves. It is now “deal off” because they are “not convinced by the current conditions of the deal”, though Romano doesn’t outline exactly what they were displeased with.
This comes after the news of June 26 that Timothy Weah “rejected” a move to the Midlands. The USMNT international reportedly has “no intention to accept the proposal”. This may have impacted the possibility of an Mbangula deal, as originally it had appeared to be a double transfer, with the price reported as a combined fee of around £19 million.
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With Forest now unhappy with the conditions of the deal, it could be that Juventus had changed their demands given that only one of the duo would be offloaded.
Do Nottingham Forest Need a New Winger?
Nottingham Forest had a very strong 2024/25 campaign across the board. Their defence was exceptional, conceding just 1.2 goals per game thanks to the likes of Matz Sels, Murillo, and Nikola Milenkovic. Their attack was equally frightening, with Chris Wood bagging 20 goals in the league, whilst Morgan Gibbs-White and Anthony Elanga both displayed fantastic talent as they each tallied 15+ goal contributions.
Callum Hudson-Odoi also had a strong season, despite only managing five goals and two assists. However, when rotation or substitutions are required, or even a tactical change (particularly on the left-hand-side), Forest don’t have a lot at their disposal. Jota Silva has failed to impress whilst Danilo has often had to be deployed on the wing. Bringing in a “highly talented youngster” in Mbangula as a bench option could have been a smart move.
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This transfer could also demonstrate some forward thinking. Although the Tricky Trees don’t want to sell Elanga, teams have been sniffing around, with Newcastle United submitting a £45 million bid. If the Swede does depart next summer, Mbangula could have been the ideal replacement after spending a year in England.