Nottingham Forest make contact to sign £22m defender in first signing for Dyche

Nottingham Forest have now made a move to sign a ‘quick’ £22m defender, with Sean Dyche replacing Ange Postecoglou in the City Ground hot seat.

Postecoglou’s dire spell as manager came to an end on Saturday, following a 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea, in which Forest once again struggled defensively, having also scored three goals at home to FC Midtjylland earlier this month.

Evangelos Marinakis may have one eye on the January transfer window, given the Tricky Trees risk being drawn into a relegation battle, having taken just five points from their opening eight Premier League matches.

With the City Ground side currently in the bottom three, it might make sense to bring in a manager with a proven track record of leading teams to safety, and Dyche has exactly that from his time at Everton and Burnley.

Dyche has agreed to join Forest on the condition that they offer him a long-term deal. He is of course known for his more defensive style of play than Ange, meaning the 54-year-old may want to strengthen his options in defense come January, and a new centre-back has now emerged as the top target.

This is according to a Spanish report, which reveals that Nottingham Forest have now accelerated contacts following the transfer of CA Osasuna defender Enzo Boyomo, who has attracted attention with his spectacular performances for the La Liga side.

Boyomo has a €25m (£22m) release clause included in his contract with the Spanish club, and Osasuna would not consider a sale for less, given his importance to the team, but there is certainly no shortage of interest from England.

Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion are also in the race, alongside the Tricky Trees, with all three Premier League clubs declared in pole position for his signature.

‘Fast’ Boyomo could be a solid addition to Forest’s backline

Forest will likely be happy with their current centre-back options, given Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo formed a formidable partnership in the Premier League last season, with the duo missing just three games between them and helping to secure European qualification.

However, if the new manager is keen to bring in more depth, there are signs the 24-year-old could be a solid signing. When asked to describe his own game after arriving at Osasuna, the Cameroonian said: “I think I’m a calm central defender, with good ball control, and I think I’m quick too.”

Not only that, but the French-born defender is also strong at winning back possession, ranking in the 88th percentile for tackles per 90 over the past year, compared to other central defenders.

At £22 million, Boyomo would be an affordable signing for Forest, who clearly need a fresh injection of quality after a very poor start to the campaign.