Nottingham Forest have tabled a proposal in the hope of bringing Strasbourg defender Alexander Djiku to the Premier League, according to reports.
Who is Alexander Djiku?
Djiku is a centre-back who currently plies his trade at Stade de la Meinau having moved there from SM Caen back in 2019, where he’s since gone on to become a regular feature of the first-team having started 31 out of the 38 Ligue 1 games last season.
However, the 28-year-old’s contract is set to expire this Friday, and despite the French outfit wanting to retain his services beyond that, he’s currently set to depart as a free agent having not yet committed himself to extending his stay.
Football Insider have recently reported that Steve Cooper is looking to bolster his defensive ranks to avoid another relegation battle next season, and having established himself as his side’s overall third best-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 6.92, the Ghana international has made it onto the radar at The City Ground.
Are Nottingham Forest signing Djiku?
According to French outlet L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), Nottingham Forest have sent Djiku a “proposal” and are “eyeing up” the opportunity to land him on a free transfer. Strasbourg are believed to be using “fresh money” to try and convince him to stay, but whether he will be tempted by improved wages or a new adventure elsewhere yet remains to be seen.
Could Djiku be a good addition for Cooper?
Nottingham Forest’s summer budget is currently unknown so it’s likely a safer option to be targeting the free agent market, and having been hailed a “wonderful” centre-back by journalist Ayishatu Zakaria Ali, Djiku would be an absolute bargain to land for quite literally nothing.
The AFCON participant averaged 4.8 clearances and three aerial wins per league game last season, via WhoScored, so was a real rock at the heart of the backline, not to mention that he also won 36 out of his 53 tackles made, which was the highest success rate throughout the whole of his squad.
Ghana’s 2022 Footballer of the Year, who provided two assists and scored one goal during the previous term, is additionally a versatile operator with his ability to play at left-back, right-back and higher up in defensive midfield alongside his usual role, so should a deal be able to get over the line, it would be a steal for Evangelos Marinakis.
