Nottingham Forest are in early talks with Monaco defender Ismail Jakobs to recruit him this summer. The Reds are in desperate need of a new left-back and may be close to a deal with their top target.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Forest and Jakobs are currently discussing a relocation to the City Ground.
For a time, the Monaco player has been on the radar. Forest are interested in signing the 23-year-old, who joined the Ligue 1 club from Cologne in 2021.
Since joining the club, Jakobs has worked hard to establish himself as a regular, earning 80 appearances. He appeared in 41 games across all competitions last season but only started nine league games.
The teenager is a left-back or a left-sided wing-back. He’s built more like a center midfielder and isn’t hesitant to get his hands dirty when necessary.
At this point, it is unknown how much the player will cost. Romano hasn’t revealed anything either, despite having a deal with the Ligue 1 club until 2026.
Forest currently has Omar Richards and Harry Toffolo on their roster. Toffolo risks a suspension for violating betting restrictions, while Richards has not played in almost a year due to two significant injuries.
Josh Powell, a youngster, is also with the club. He’s played left-back in pre-season, but it’s evident that he won’t be appearing in the Premier League at this point in his development.
Forest is in advanced negotiations to sign Jakobs.
This would be a fascinating one. The player fits the profile of the type of player Forest would like to sign in the future, and Jakobs may be open to a move.
He’d get some assistance settling in at the club. Moussa Niakhate and Cheikhou Kouyate are both international teammates, which could assist him make a decision.
Renan Lodi’s desire for Champions League football stunned the Reds during preseason. He relocated to Marseille in the hopes of realizing his dream, severing ties with Forest.
Jakobs appears to be a capable performer. He’s the same age as Lodi and appears to be more than capable of replacing the man who starred on his City Ground loan.
Leave a Reply