Nottingham Forest are reportedly leading the race to sign Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado as they seek a replacement for Elliot Anderson this summer.
Anderson’s departure from the City Ground for a reported £116m represents the highest transfer fee in the club’s history, leaving a significant void in midfield.
Manager Oliver Glasner has responded by deploying last summer’s £30m signing James McAtee in a deep-lying role, despite that being an unfamiliar position for the 23-year-old.
McAtee featured for 74 minutes in the opening-day defeat against Leeds United, completing 86% of his passes and creating three chances during his time on the pitch.
He also won 75% of his ground duels at the City Ground and produced the most forward passes of any Forest player, offering some promise despite the unfamiliar positioning.
Xaver Schlager was brought in to strengthen the midfield department this summer but started on the bench for the opening fixture as Glasner opted for a different partnership.
A move for Lucas Bergvall now appears off the table, with Tottenham Hotspur boss Roberto De Zerbi confirming the 20-year-old will stay despite the £185m arrivals of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes.
TEAMtalk reports that Forest are currently leading the pursuit of Casado, with Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Brighton and Hove Albion also having made contact for the Spanish midfielder.
A fee in the region of £30m has been cited in various reports as the likely cost to secure the 22-year-old away from the LaLiga giants before the September 1st deadline.
Casado demonstrated impressive LaLiga form last season, achieving a 91% pass completion rate while averaging 1.3 chances created per 90 minutes in Spain’s top flight.
Both figures placed him in the top 15% of midfielders across Europe last term, highlighting his ability to control matches from a deep-lying central position.
Without the ball, the Barcelona star also caught the eye by winning 60% of his ground duels and registering an impressive average of 1.7 tackles per 90.
Ibrahim Sangare, who joined Forest for a reported £35m, is expected to hold down a starting role in midfield throughout the 2026/27 Premier League campaign.
Nicolas Dominguez and Ryan Yates remain available to Glasner as squad options, though both players will likely be dependent on cup competitions and injuries for meaningful game time.
Should Casado arrive and replicate Anderson’s output at the City Ground, it would represent another outstanding piece of business from the Forest hierarchy heading into a crucial season.