Nottingham Forest are a team in the market to bring in new talent and Everton defender Michael Keane is at the top of their wish list.
Nottingham Forest managed to squeeze their way into the premier league last season despite a fourth placed finish on the English Championship table. The club defeated Sheffield United in the playoffs by way of a penalty shootout in the second leg of the semifinal.
Nottingham is now off to a great start in the Premier League. They have spent over £120 million since the transfer window opened but the club is still committed to signing more talent. Michael Keane is the latest on their radar.
Nottingham’s last match was against Everton and the newly promoted club managed a draw in that match. Keane has been an unused substitute for every Premier League match so far but was a starter in Everton’s Carabao Cup fixture against Fleetwood Town.
Nottingham Forest interested in Everton defender Michael Keane
The Toffees have a strong defensive unit. They signed James Tarkowski as a free transfer earlier in the window. Later they acquired Conor Coady on loan from Wolves, so there is not a pressing need for Keane to stay at Meyerside.
Keane is a talented player but he is costing the club around £65,000 per week in wages. Nottingham Forest have inquired about bringing Keane to their club on loan according to Football Insider. The move would benefit both clubs since Forest need defensive reinforcement and Everton need to cut back on their payroll.
The clubs could also agree to a loan with an option to permanently transfer the 29-year old defender after a season or two. This move could be in Everton’s best interest because Nottingham would only be able to afford keeping Keane if they avoid relegation. Keane is valued at about £18 million.
The transfer window will close on September 1 so both clubs must act quickly if they want to secure any new deals before the deadline. Everton are pushing to offload players to lighten the load on the wage budget.
Even though Yerry Mina and Ben Godfrey are sidelined with injuries, Everton may have more to gain economically from Keane’s departure.
Do you think Everton will sell Michael Keane in the next few days?