Nottingham Forest have now identified an "incredible" Douglas Luiz alternative as their new "top" target, Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has revealed.
Forest set out to bolster midfield options
Forest have already made a major statement of intent by keeping hold of attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, and Nuno is now keen to bolster his options in the engine room even further, having seemingly identified Juventus' Luiz as a major target.
The Tricky Trees have already agreed personal terms with the former Aston Villa man, and they are thought to be leading the race for his signature, with sporting director Edu said to be driving the move, but there are some doubts surrounding the deal.
Juventus are reportedly reluctant to sanction a departure until they bring in a replacement, which means Nuno may have to wait until the end of August before he is able to add the Brazilian to his squad, and a different midfielder has now emerged as the first-choice option.
That is according to an update from Plettenberg on X, who states RB Salzburg midfielder and captain Mads Bidstrup has now been identified as Nottingham Forest's new "top" target.
Bidstrup remains contracted until 2028, which puts Salzburg in a strong negotiating position, and the Austrian club are thought to be holding out for around £17m, potentially making the central midfielder a relatively low-cost addition to Nuno's squad.
Luiz, on the other hand, could set the Tricky Trees back £35m, but the ex-Villa star is already very experienced at Premier League level, having made 175 appearances in the competition.
douglas-luiz-juventus-serie-a
Bidstrup could be "incredible" Luiz alternative
Indeed, the Juventus ace was very impressive during his previous stint in England, particularly impressing from an attacking point of view during his final two seasons at Villa Park.
Season PL appearances Goals Assists
2022-23 37 6 6
2023-24 35 9 5
However, it would be a gamble for Forest to solely focus on signing the 27-year-old, given that he could very easily choose to go to a different club at the end of August, and there are signs the RB Salzburg midfielder could be a solid alternative.
Former RB Salzburg sporting director Christoph Freund has spoken very highly of the 24-year-old in the past, saying: "Mads has an incredible mentality and suits our playing style in Salzburg perfectly with his way of playing. He is very versatile too and can be used anywhere in midfield.
RB Salzburg's Mads Bidstrup in action with Pachuca's Elias Montiel and Agustin Palavecino
The Dane has been a regular starter for Salzburg ever since arriving at the club, making 30 league appearances last season, and he clearly has leadership abilities too, having already taken on the role of captain.
That said, there may be some concerns over the fact that Bidstrup is yet to prove himself in a major European league, having only really starred in Denmark and Austria, and Luiz is vastly more experienced at the top level, which could make the Juventus ace the better option.