Nottingham Forest have made contact with Sevilla over a deal for left-back Joaquin Oso, amid growing uncertainty surrounding Neco Williams’ future at the City Ground.
Manchester United have hijacked Forest’s contract talks with Williams, with the Welsh international attracting interest from Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur as well.
The prospect of a move to Old Trafford is said to be appealing to Williams, despite him having come through the ranks at Liverpool’s academy before his time at Forest.
With Williams’ departure increasingly likely, Forest have identified Oso as a potential replacement and have now formally made contact over a possible transfer.
According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham, Newcastle United and Fulham are also keen on the Sevilla defender, meaning Forest face a competitive battle to land their target this summer.
Oso has a release clause of around £17m written into his Sevilla contract, but there is a feeling he could be available for even less than that figure.
The 23-year-old scored two goals and registered three assists in 23 La Liga appearances last season, primarily featuring as a left-winger rather than in his natural defensive role.
His versatility makes him an intriguing option for Forest manager Oliver Glasner, who tends to operate with a 3-4-2-1 formation that relies heavily on dynamic wing-backs.
Glasner previously deployed Tyrick Mitchell as a left-wing-back during his time at Crystal Palace, suggesting Oso could slot into a very similar role at the City Ground.
Former Sevilla Atletico coach Jesus Galvan has described Oso as “dynamic, very powerful and with an innate ability to create danger,” highlighting his potential impact in the Premier League.
Forest have shown they are not afraid to spend heavily in recent transfer windows, shelling out £37.5m on Omari Hutchinson and £34m on Dan Ndoye in recent years.
A deal for Oso costing under £17m would represent relatively modest outlay by Forest’s recent standards, making the transfer financially straightforward for the club to complete.
The Tricky Trees’ spending power has also been boosted by Elliot Anderson’s big-money move to Manchester City, giving Glasner further funds to reshape his squad.
Replacing Williams would still be a significant challenge given his consistency for Forest, with the Welsh international missing just one Premier League game throughout last season.
Oso’s ability to contribute both defensively and in advanced positions could make him a more than capable successor, should Williams complete his expected departure this summer.