Evangelos Marinakis is looking to build a Nottingham Forest side that can compete in Europe next season, but one of his preferred attacking targets is set to reject his advances.
Finding attacking reinforcements is proving difficult for Marinakis, with Forest’s interest in Liam Delap set to be thwarted by the approach of Manchester United.
Even James McAtee is being targeted by Wolves despite Forest’s interest, setting the tone for a summer of competition in the Premier League for a relatively small pool of talent.
The Forest squad could certainly do with some attacking variety added to change games that Nuno Espírito Santo’s side are struggling in, but this won’t be coming from one of the club’s top Serie A targets.
Photo by Image Photo Agency/Getty Images
Photo by Image Photo Agency/Getty Images
Lazio’s Mattia Zaccagni set to reject Nottingham Forest move
The Italian top flight could be crucial to the summer transfer window narrative for Forest as Callum Hudson-Odoi has been linked with Napoli, but it’s a winger not coming the other way that will be frustrating Marinakis.
According to Il Messaggero in Italy, Lazio’s Mattia Zaccagni had caught Forest’s eye, but a move away from the Italian capital isn’t something that the 29-year-old is entertaining.
The report said: “Zaccagni has made a life choice, he said no to Napoli in January, it is unlikely he will give in to the interest of Nottingham Forest, who would, however, put €30-35 million on the table.”
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Whether the deal made financial sense for the club or not, it seems that a move anywhere, let alone to the City Ground, isn’t in Zaccagni’s plans.
This is perhaps due to him playing the best football of his career at Lazio, where his stats from this season show a profile that Forest should continue to seek out.
Nottingham Forest should find someone similar to Mattia Zaccagni
Wingers are known to be tricky and slight, and at 5 foot 9, Zaccagni fits the bill, but he has an aggression to his game that could’ve been a real asset to Forest.
Statistic Mattia Zaccagni
Goals 10
Assists 8
Carries into final third per 90 2.29
Dribble success % 53.8%
Duels won per 90 6.64
Tackles won % 70.3%
Mattia Zaccagni this season
His goals and assist numbers speak for themselves, but his ability to drive with the ball is also impressive, taking the ball into the final third 2.29 times per match.
Most impressively, though, Zaccagni is strong in challenges, winning 6.64 duels per game and 70% of his tackles, a trait that the Forest coaching staff would have loved to help sustain attacks.
Zaccagni may have rejected Forest, but his profile is definitely one that the club should continue searching for to offer a different dimension out wide.