Nottingham Forest have shown interest in a reunion with Matty Cash as Nuno Espírito Santo continues to try and bolster his full-back options.
Espírito Santo is desperate to sign full-backs as the final piece of his new-look Forest squad, with back-ups required for Neco Williams and Ola Aina.
With this in mind, Forest showed interest in Matty Cash of Aston Villa after selling him to Villa Park in 2020, a deal that would represent both sentimental value and quality to the squad.
Given the high priority of the full-back search, talks have been ongoing for Cash and other options, with a report from The Athletic detailing the status of the move for the Polish international.
Aston Villa defender Matty Cash.
Photo by Harry Murphy – AVFC/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images
Update provided on Nottingham Forest’s Matty Cash pursuit
Edu and the recruitment staff are considering their options at full-back, with Forest’s interest in Nahuel Molina presenting an interesting alternative to Cash.
However, according to The Athletic, the likes of Molina may well become the priority targets as a move for Cash now looks difficult.
The report said: “Despite opening talks via intermediaries earlier this summer, Forest appear to have accepted it would be too difficult to arrange a return to the City Ground for Matty Cash, five years after selling him to Aston Villa.”
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Cash has started both of Villa’s opening Premier League fixtures, so perhaps a move to be back-up to Aina wouldn’t appeal to the 28-year-old, regardless of whether the two clubs can agree on the financial side.
In the right-back position, though, any incoming may have more of a chance of staking a claim in the Forest squad than it appears, with Aina set to be absent for a crucial period of the season.
Ola Aina will miss a sizeable chunk of the season for Nottingham Forest
Much is made of English football’s uniquely busy festive period, with no winter break like the ones seen across major leagues in Europe.
At the City Ground, though, this busy period is set to cause major problems this season, as it will coincide with Aina’s quest for Africa Cup of Nations glory with Nigeria.
The competition is set to kick off on the 21st of December and will run until the 18th of January, a period in which Forest played six times in the 24/25 campaign.
Therefore, whoever the Reds bring in to support Aina will have a period of time to stake their claim for a starting spot at right-back, a potentially significant factor that could be used in the negotiation process.