Nottingham Forest given green light to sign bargain defender as 'all doors open' for transfer
Nottingham Forest are said to remain keen on teenage defender Taylan Bulut as transfer deadline day nears.
The Reds were first linked with the Schalke youngster earlier this month, when they were said to have “come knocking” for him. And with the February 3 January window cut-off looming, it seems they have been given the green light to step up their interest.
According to German newspaper Bild, Forest have their eye on Bulut as they target reinforcements for head coach Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad. Premier League rivals Bournemouth are also said to have him in their sights.
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Valued at just €2 million (£1.6m), Bulut could be snapped up for a bargain fee as Schalke are said to need to raise funds through player sales in a bid to eat into their €162 (£136m) deficit. Bild report “all doors are open” for Bulut, who is described as the club’s “defensive jewel”.
The teenager is primarily a right-back but is also capable of operating at centre-back. He is under contract until 2026, with suggestions his club view overseeing a renewal as being tricky due to the speculation around his future.
Bulut, who has represented Germany at youth level, progressed through the academy at Schalke before breaking into the first-team last season. He has kicked on again this term and has become a regular starter.
Ola Aina has made the right-back spot his own for the Reds this season, after swapping over from the left. Neco Williams is also capable of playing on both flanks.
Last summer, Forest signed 18-year-old right-back Eric da Silva Moreira from St Pauli. Viewed as one for the future, he has featured just four times for the first-team so far.
The Reds go into the final few days of the transfer window well aware there is much riding on overseeing the right business. Nuno’s squad does not require too much work, but the club will want to ensure he has sufficient resources at his disposal amid the push for European football.
Adding a striker is top of the agenda for Forest. Nuno has stressed the importance of bringing in the right characters as much as quality players as the sense of unity in the dressing room has played a key part in the team’s rise this term.
