Nuno Espírito Santo is desperate to bring Adama Traoré to Nottingham Forest this summer, with the Spanish winger’s thoughts on the move now revealed.
Nottingham Forest News revealed that talks were ongoing with Fulham over Traoré, with Espírito Santo wanting to reunite with the speedster who he coached at Wolves.
His attributes are clear for all to see, but Nuno is desperate to have stronger options off the bench, which has made Traoré’s remarkable physical ability the perfect profile to support the newly signed Dan Ndoye.
Of course, Ndoye will be the starter on the right side so the 29-year-old will have to accept a rotation role at the City Ground, but a fresh report suggests that the chance to work with his former boss is enough to convince him on the move.
Adama Traoré warms up ahead of Brentford vs Fulham
Photo by David Watts | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Adama Traoré is keen on reuniting with Nuno Espírito Santo
With Ramon Sosa departing for Palmeiras and rumours persisting that Jota Silva could follow him out the door, there’s certainly room for Traoré in the Forest squad.
Therefore, as long as all parties are keen on the deal, Forest will likely move fast to secure the Fulham man and, according to ESPN, conversations between Traoré and the Reds have been positive.
The report said: “Nottingham Forest are stepping up their pursuit of Adama Traoré, a source told ESPN. Nuno Espírito Santo’s team called the player’s entourage last week to enquire about his situation, and things have progressed since, with all parties willing to make the deal happen.”
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Clearly, then, Traoré is keen on the City Ground move, possibly due to the chance of European football which Fulham can’t currently offer, but the Espírito Santo influence will surely be a factor too, given how much the winger admires his former boss.
Adama Traoré credits Nuno Espírito Santo for his success
Back in 2018, Nuno broke Wolves’ transfer record to sign Traoré from Middlesbrough for £18m, a bold decision given that the winger had previously struggled to make an impact in the Premier League.
The trust that Espírito Santo had in Traoré paid off in his time in the West Midlands, as the Spaniard grew in confidence at the top level, something that he credits his former manager for.
"I believe in the manager and he believes in me. He makes me a better player."
After netting twice for Wolves today, Adama Traore paid tribute to his manager Nuno Espírito Santo following their 2-0 win at Manchester City. #beINPL #PL #MCIWOL pic.twitter.com/joYzaE7I3v
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) October 6, 2019
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Speaking to The Mirror in 2020, he said: “Nuno has been a massive figure for me, it’s the confidence he gives me. From the first day I came to Wolves he just made me feel that he believes I can take on any player and make them struggle.
“That is massive for a player and maybe you think it’s just me but if you ask any of the guys they will tell you that the confidence of the manager is as important as the training you go to on a daily basis.”
All parties seem to be keen on making this deal happen, so it’s down to Edu and the recruitment team to finalise the details.