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Real Betis defender Alex Moreno rejects Nottingham Forest move

<span>Photograph: Cristina Quicler/AFP/Getty Images</span>
Photograph: Cristina Quicler/AFP/Getty Images

Alex Moreno has rejected the chance to join Nottingham Forest, and will stay at Real Betis.

Forest made an offer to sign the defender and were confident of completing a deal for him this week but Moreno has decided to stay at the club he joined in 2019. In a message posted on social media, the defender confirmed he would be remaining at Real Betis after carefully considering the offer from Forest.

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“I appreciate the importance of the offer I’ve received but after reviewing it, Betis and I have decided to continue our journey together,” Moreno said.

Moreno, 29, had been a long-term target for the Premier League newcomers, who lost their opening game of the season 2-0 at Newcastle on Saturday. Forest had hoped to complete the move before their first Premier League game at the City Ground in 23 years, against West Ham, on Sunday.

Forest have already signed two wing-backs following the arrival of Omar Richards, who is out with a leg fracture, from Bayern Munich and Harry Toffolo from Huddersfield.

Forest have overhauled their squad following promotion back to the top flight. They are still in the market for a number of players; they had an offer for Morgan Gibbs-White rejected last week. They are looking to strengthen in midfield with Atalanta’s Remo Freuler one of a number of targets for Steve Cooper.

The club is also trying to bolster experience off the pitch by bringing in Lee Charnley, the former Newcastle managing director, as a consultant to help with its business operations.