Report: Nottingham Forest want £25m-rated midfielder they scouted before signing Ibrahim Sangare

Nottingham Forest are currently pursuing a player who was scouted by the club before they signed Ibrahim Sangare last summer.

The Reds are set to be active in the transfer market this summer, regardless of the division they find themselves in. Forest will likely prioritize outgoing business, with financial fair play regulations once again a concern, but they will also look to make some new additions to the squad.

Sangare joined the club for £30 million following the departure of Brennan Johnson and became the club’s record signing when he moved from PSV.

Now, it has been reported that Forest are interested in signing a player who was considered as an alternative to Sangare last summer.

Nottingham Forest target Mandela Keita

The defensive midfielder is expected to attract a lot of attention this summer, with Royal Antwerp hoping to cash in on him.

According to Het Nieuwsblad, Forest are competing with Manchester United and West Ham for his signature during the transfer window.

It has also been reported that Blackburn, Leeds, and Norwich are closely monitoring the midfielder ahead of the upcoming transfer season.

Royal Antwerp are hoping to make a significant profit on Keita and have valued him at just over £25 million.

Antwerp will purchase the player from OH Leuven in the summer at the end of his loan, but Keita could soon be making his way to England.

Who is Mandela Keita?

The player typically operates as an anchor in the center of midfield, providing defensive stability.

Although he has registered three assists this season, Keita’s main strengths lie in his defensive abilities.

Keita is the ninth-best central midfielder in the Jupiler Pro League when it comes to tackling, having made 84 tackles in 21 appearances.

According to WhoScored, he has also made 41 interceptions and 968 accurate short passes during the campaign.

Keita, 21, came through the youth ranks at Leuven and also spent some time with Genk during the early stages of his career.

In 2023, Keita was rewarded for his fine club form and earned a chance on the international stage with Belgium.

Keita’s signing could spell trouble for Sangare

In our opinion, having both Keita and Sangare in the squad would be redundant, as their playing styles are quite similar.

If Keita does end up at Forest, it could mean the end for Sangare, and perhaps the club believes they could recoup some of the money they spent on him.

Although the 26-year-old has not been poor for Forest, he has not quite lived up to his significant price tag.

Nevertheless, Sangare probably deserves a full pre-season at the City Ground, and then fans might see the best of him in a Forest shirt.

Keita is attracting interest from bigger clubs than Forest, but if he does arrive at the City Ground, Sangare may find himself leaving the club.