Tammy Abraham
Tammy Abraham (Image: AC Milan via Getty Images)
Nottingham Forest are said to have “started talks” over a potential summer move for former Aston Villa striker Tammy Abraham.
Bolstering head coach Nuno Espirito Santo’s options up front will be a priority for the Reds come the end of the season. Adding a forward has been on the agenda for the past two transfer windows but without success so will be top of the to-do list in a few months’ time.
Forest were credited with an interest in Abraham, who is on loan at AC Milan from Roma, last month and it seems things have progressed since then. They will likely face strong competition for the 27-year-old, however.
According to Caught Offside, the Reds are among a number of clubs to have opened discussions with Abraham’s entourage amid his future in Italy being uncertain. Wolverhampton Wanderers, Newcastle United, Everton and West Ham United are said to have done the same.
Abraham, proven in the top two tiers of English football, spent the 2018-19 season at Villa, on loan at Chelsea, scored 26 goals in what proved to be a promotion winning season; the forward netted four goals in a single game, the 5-5 draw with Nottingham Forest, and one against West Brom in the play-off semi-finals.
While Villa didn't pursue a permanent deal the following summer, Abraham ended up playing regularly in the top flight under Chelsea legend Frank Lampard who, defeated in the play-off final with Derby, returned to Stamford Bridge and utilised the striker to good effect. Abraham bagged 19 times for the Blues that following year.
He fell out of favour under Thomas Tuchel, though, and was sold to AS Roma in 2021 for £34m, where he worked under Jose Mourinho. Abraham has had to contend with his fair share of injury problems while out in Italy, and last summer he was loaned to Serie A counterparts AC Milan.
This term, Abraham has scored eight goals for Milan, with a couple in the Champions League, but the majority his appearances have come from the bench and it remains to be seen whether the ninth-placed Rossoneri will pursue a permanent deal in the future.
Abraham has only a single year left on his contract with Roma and a return to England, although one has never materialised since, has been on the cards in transfer windows in the past.
Speaking about Abraham on Instagram two years ago, his former Villa teammate and captain Jack Grealish said of the one-time England attacker: “Unbelievable. Couldn’t believe how good he was with the ball for how tall he is. Loved playing with him.”
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