Rangers defender Borna Barisic could land in £100m Nottingham Forest spree after Monday talks
The chances of Rangers defender Borna Barisic being part of Nottingham Forest’s massive spending spree have gone up amid developments elsewhere.
There has not been a bid for the Croatian despite reports suggesting the contrary, according to Ranger Review’s Derek Clark.
But the Daily Mail reported over the weekend (13-14 August) that the newly-promoted English Premier League side were continuing their recruitment before the transfer window shuts, with total spending set to blow through the £100million barrier.
Steve Cooper’s side have already spent of £80million bringing in 12 signings and have offers in for a further four.
On top of that the Mail report says they want a new left-back, with the Gers man and Chelsea’s Emerson Palmieri the targets.
But it was then widely reported on Monday afternoon (15 August) that West Ham are in talks with their London rivals to sign the Italian international, with The Sun suggesting they were “confident” of completing the deal this week.
That clearly would wipe out 50% of Forest’s list of targets, leaving only Barisic, 29, who has started four of the five Gers matches so far this season.
He has maintained his place in the starting line up for Giovanni van Bronckhorst despite the signing of Ridvan Yilmaz from Besiktas, who is not yet ready to shoulder the load.
Barisic lost his place as number one left-back last season amid the huge advances made by Calvin Bassey, but after the Nigerian international made a big-money move to Ajax this summer he regained the role.
There had been interest in the Croatian from Turkey earlier in the window, but the club were unmoved and it never advanced to a serious stage.
Forest have been mowing down all-comers in the transfer market this summer, as they chuck money around on their return to the top flight in England for the first time in over two decades.
If they are ready to throw some towards Ibrox it could be enough to change Ross Wilson’s mind about the make-up of the squad, given the opportunity to move on a player approaching 30 if the price is right.
It wouldn’t give him much time at all to find a replacement though so it will be one to watch as deadline day approaches.
In other Rangers news, Michael Stewart found some praise for one Bears player in a controversial incident.