Nottingham Forest have identified Johan Bakayoko as their preferred option to replace Anthony Elanga, with Fabrizio Romano now revealing the latest on a potential deal.
Bakayoko was put on a shortlist to replace Elanga as the PSV star enters the final year of his contract, boasting very similar strengths to the departing Swedish international.
In response to the links, Forest fans were excited about signing Bakayoko given his remarkable goalscoring returns out in the Eredivisie, where he has outscored Elanga in every season of his senior career.
Edu tried to sign Bakayoko for Arsenal as well, so the deal makes sense all around, but transfer guru Romano has revealed that Forest aren’t alone in their approach for the Belgian.
Johan Bakayoko celebrates after scoring his teams first goal during the Dutch TOTO KNVB Cup Quarter Finals match between PSV and Feyenoord
Photo by Joris Verwijst/BSR Agency/Getty Images
Four other clubs have approached Nottingham Forest target Johan Bakayoko
Nottingham Forest News revealed that Forest are making progress in talks with Bakayoko, but according to Romano, four other teams, including two Premier League sides, have made approaches for the PSV winger.
🚨👀 PSV Eindhoven are set to sell Johan Bakayoko as they’ve received five approaches for the winger.
RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen, Everton, Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth have all called to open discussions.
Request around €20m add-ons included. pic.twitter.com/tVVEgyGNAI
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 11, 2025
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Romano said: “RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen, Everton, Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth have all called to open discussions. Request around €20m add-ons included.”
Given that Elanga has completed his move to Newcastle, Forest don’t need to wait around to gather funds so the £17m valuation from PSV should be no issue.
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Competing with Bournemouth and Everton shouldn’t be an issue either, given that only Forest can offer the package of Premier League and European football.
However, the interest could well cause more concerns, given both Leverkusen and Leipzig’s participation in the Champions League.
Nottingham Forest are competing with Champions League clubs
In news that will help convince the likes of Bakayako to make the City Ground switch, Forest have been promoted into the Europa League after UEFA demoted Crystal Palace to the Conference League pending an appeal.
However, the two German sides that have approached Bakayoko can offer Champions League football, something that, even at 22 years old, the Belgian is accustomed to.
In his three full seasons of senior football at PSV, Bakayoko has made 25 appearances in UEFA’s top competition, so asking him to drop down into the Europa League may be a difficult sell with Leverkusen and Leipzig waiting in the wings.
Edu can only hope that the allure of the Premier League is enough to tempt Bakayoko to the City Ground, where he can be a part of Forest’s long-term push to provide the Champions League football he’s used to.