Nottingham Forest poised to surpass West Ham by securing powerhouse for a third of the price.
West Ham and Nottingham Forest have already clashed multiple times in this summer’s transfer window. Both clubs are actively seeking new signings, with West Ham acquiring Luis Guilherme, Wes Foderingham, and Max Kilman, while Forest has signed Elliot Anderson, Marko Stamenic, Eric da Silva Moreira, and Carlos Miguel. The latter, a 6ft 8in Brazilian goalkeeper, was initially linked with West Ham before Forest sealed the deal with Corinthians.
Forest is also pursuing top Hammers target Wesley Gassova from the same Brazilian club. The rivalry between the two clubs has seen Forest hijack West Ham’s move for Internacional defender Vitao by offering more money and higher wages, causing West Ham’s move to collapse. Although Forest’s bid for Vitao has also stalled, both clubs continue to seek another center-back, setting them on a collision course once again.
Nottingham Forest now appears poised to succeed where West Ham failed by securing a powerhouse for a third of the price. Overnight reports indicate West Ham has renewed interest in center-back Nikola Milenkovic, a long-time target from Fiorentina. Previously, agent demands thwarted a move for Milenkovic, who was valued at around £35m. However, Nottingham Forest has reportedly hijacked this target, with plans to sign Milenkovic for just £13m.
According to Telegraph journalist John Percy, Forest has made a £13m bid for Milenkovic and is confident of completing the deal next week. This would be a significant setback for West Ham, especially given the reasonable fee involved, as the Hammers focus on signing a striker may have opened the door for Forest to secure the Serbian defender.