NFFC missed out on Houssem Aouar

Nottingham Forest made a whopping 21 signings over the summer time switch window, losing no time or sources in constructing a squad that they imagine can be match to compete within the Premier League to assist the promoted facet retain their top-flight standing by subsequent summer time.

Morgan Gibbs-White, Jesse Lingard, Dean Henderson, Neco Williams and Renan Lodi are just some of the gamers who’ve joined the formidable venture on the Metropolis Floor, and Steve Cooper shall be hoping that they’ve performed sufficient by way of high quality to compete on the highest degree.

Forest are presently 19th within the Premier League desk following a disappointing defeat to Bournemouth on the weekend, once they went from 2-0 up at half-time to 3-2 down when the ultimate whistle was blown. It was a second-half efficiency that the Reds supervisor will wish to neglect however should enhance upon if they’re to face any probability of staying up this season.

Regardless of making quite a few signings to bolster each place this summer time, Forest did miss out on one goal who may’ve been a sport changer for the Reds this season, with Houssem Aouar coming extraordinarily shut to creating the transfer to Nottingham.

The £62k-per-week Lyon star was a chief goal for Forest however it was reported that the membership pulled out of their pursuit after finishing a £42.5m deal for Wolves gem Gibbs-White, and the choice to take action could possibly be a transfer that Cooper and Evangelos Marinakis deeply remorse this time subsequent 12 months.

Over the past 12 months, Aouar – who was dubbed a “special talent” by former journalist Andrew Gibney – ranked within the prime 1% of his positional friends throughout the highest 5 European leagues for move completion and the highest 20% for progressive passes, tackles and dribbles accomplished.

The Frenchman additionally had Philippe Coutinho, Angel Di Maria and Riyad Mahrez named as three of probably the most comparable gamers to him in response to FBref, whicg additional means that he would have been a significant coup for Forest.

Move completion was one thing that Cooper detailed as one of many key areas that he needed to strengthen after the crew’s first outing within the Premier League in opposition to Newcastle United, once they misplaced 2-0.

Ought to Forest have signed Houssem Aouar?

Following that sport, the 41-year-old stated (by way of Nottinghamshire Live): “We weren’t proper right this moment in possession, and there weren’t sufficient passes after we may get them off, and that in the end price us the 2 targets.”

With that in thoughts, it’s shocking that Forest opted out of signing the “unreal” Frenchman contemplating his passing vary in the course of the park; and it could possibly be a call which involves again to chunk them, particularly after dropping their final three league video games and conceding 11 targets within the course of.