Nottingham Forest are said to be eyeing up Roma defender Evan Ndicka as they look ahead to the summer transfer window.
The Reds are very much focused on finishing the campaign in style as they chase Champions League qualification. However, work is going on off the pitch in anticipation of changes being made to head coach Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad at the end of the season.
Regardless of whether Forest secure European football, ins and outs will be on the cards at the City Ground in the summer. Several players have already been linked with the Reds, and now Ndicka has emerged as a potential target.
According to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Forest have the 25-year-old on their radar as they plot their transfer business. It is claimed the Reds have shown an interest in the left-footed centre-back.
However, they are not Ndicka’s only admirers. Premier League rivals Arsenal are said to be keen and Real Madrid have also been keeping tabs on him.
A €30 million (£25m) price tag has reportedly been placed on the Ivory Coast international’s head. Although there is an indication his future is uncertain, a summer departure could hinge on where Roma finish in Serie A.
Claudio Ranieri’s team are seventh in the Italian top-flight table. The report states that if Roma qualify for any European competition, a move for Ndicka “could become difficult”. If the club do not qualify for Europe, it is said a departure “looks likely”.
Ndicka penned a five-year contract with Roma when he made the switch as a free transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt two years ago. He had come up through the ranks at Auxerre earlier in his career.
The defender has racked up more than 50 league appearances for Roma since joining the club. This season he has featured 42 times so far across all competitions.
As it stands, Reds boss Nuno has a fair few options in central defence. Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo have been the first-choice pairing when the Portuguese has opted for a four-man back line.
Morato has regularly been trusted to come on from off the bench to help see games out when Forest switch to five at the back. The Brazilian has started four times in the league and has made 16 substitute appearances.
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Nuno also has Willy Boly as an option, as and when required. The veteran defender is out of contract in the summer, although the Reds do hold an option to extend his stay by another year.
Decisions will need to be made on a few other centre-backs at the end of the season. Jonathan Panzo (Rio Ave) , Andrew Omobamidele (Strasbourg), David Carmo (Olympiacos) and Tyler Bindon (Reading) are currently out on loan.
The latter was a deadline day signing for the club last month, although he headed straight back to the Royals for the second half of the campaign. The New Zealand international has been tipped for a bright future.
Omobamidele joined Strasbourg in January and the French outfit have an option to make his move a permanent one. Carmo joined Forest last summer so will hope to be given the opportunity to catch Nuno’s eye in pre-season, while Panzo is likely to move on when his contract expires in June.
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