Nottingham Forest make offer for Ibrahim Sangare: Makes sense?

Nottingham Forest have reportedly stepped up their pursuit of PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Sangare.

The Forest are yet to get going in the summer transfer window, despite narrowly beating the drop back to the Championship last season. They made a total of 29 new signings across the past two transfer windows, but having released many players at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, Steve Cooper is keen to pump fresh blood into his squad.

According to The Athletic, Nottingham Forest have launched an opening offer for PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Sangare.

Sangare, 25, has been a key player for PSV Eindhoven since arriving from French club Toulouse in 2020, racking up 133 appearances so far. He made 29 league appearances this past season, registering five goals and an assist, as PSV finished runners-up to Feyenoord in the Eredivisie.

The Ivory Coast international has been previously linked with a switch to the Premier League, with Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and Liverpool all admirers of his talents. Having signed a new contract with PSV last year that runs until 2027, Sangare is valued upwards of £30million by the Dutch giants, the report adds.

Ibrahim Sangare to Nottingham Forest—Good move?

Given their concerns over Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, Nottingham Forest have several players on their books who could be shown the door to clear space on the wage bill.

The Midlands club could look to offload Jonjo Shelvey before the new campaign commences, having only signed the midfielder in the January transfer window. Cheikhou Kouyate endured an injury-hit season at City Ground, while the likes of Remo Freuler, Gustavo Scarpa and Orel Mangala flattered to deceive.

This is why Steve Cooper has made the signing of a midfielder one of his top priorities for the transfer window. With Cooper’s side leaking goals for fun last season, bringing in a defensive midfielder is an absolute must. And, Ibrahim Sangare, in that regard, would be a perfect fit at City Ground.

Sangare is a sought-after defensive midfielder who will provide much-needed security to Forest’s backline. Strong in the air and tenacious in the tackle, the Ivorian is a workhorse in the middle of the park—exactly the profile of a player Forest desperately needs in their engine room. He would be an upgrade over both Kouyate and Shelvey whilst improving the look of Cooper’s midfield unit.

After clinching survival with Forest last season, the club are expected to ensure Cooper has a very competitive budget this summer. Cooper will want to be smart with who he brings in, and signing Sangare in the region of £30-£35million is potentially one that could be a shrewd bit of business.