Nottingham Forest have little left to address in the transfer market, but there are still concerns over the left-back position, and adding another striker would be a great boost.
It appears the Reds have found a solution to their left-back dilemma, with a player set to sign who almost joined Forest back in 2022.
A deal is now nearing completion, and the player is expected to be signed in time to feature in the match against Southampton on Saturday.
Nottingham Forest Close to Signing Aston Villa’s Alex Moreno
This transfer has been two years in the making, and it’s clear Forest harbors no hard feelings toward Moreno. The club had initially agreed on terms with Real Betis to sign him for £11 million in the summer of 2022, but at the last moment, he chose to stay with the La Liga side.
Now, according to Fabrizio Romano, Forest have scheduled a medical for Moreno ahead of a season-long loan move from Aston Villa. This is set to take place today, and Moreno should be announced as a Forest player shortly.
Moreover, Forest will have the option to buy Moreno next summer if the loan move proves successful.
The 31-year-old joined Aston Villa in January 2023, attracting interest from other clubs after rejecting Forest. Since then, Moreno has made 48 appearances for Villa, scoring three goals and providing three assists. Last season was challenging for the defender, as he had to recover from a hamstring injury and fight for a spot in Unai Emery’s lineup.
Despite these challenges, Moreno made 29 appearances and helped Villa secure a top-four finish, qualifying for the Champions League.
🚨🌳 EXCL: Nottingham Forest agree deal to sign Alex Moreno from Aston Villa with medical booked on Wednesday morning.
Initial loan deal with buy option, agreement in place.
Here we go. 🔐 pic.twitter.com/DJTQFdLwxi
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 20, 2024
Moreno Could Be a Smart Signing for Forest
One significant advantage Moreno brings to Forest is balance in the backline. While Ola Aina has been a quality addition, his lack of a natural left foot does limit Forest’s play. Moreno, on the other hand, offers all the attributes Espirito Santo values in his wing-backs.
According to WhoScored, Moreno excels at dribbling and shows strong concentration on the field. The main concern is the hamstring injury that sidelined him for six months at the end of the 2022/23 season and the start of last season.
However, Moreno appears to have overcome this setback and played a key role in Villa’s preseason under Emery.
From Forest’s perspective, this signing has been a long time coming, and hopefully, Moreno can make an immediate impact at the City Ground.