Nottingham Forest have now shown interest in signing Sao Paulo’s Jhegson Mendez, having already made an approach to sign the central midfielder, according to a recent report
What’s the latest Nottingham Forest transfer news?
Forest are set to sign Dean Henderson in a £20m deal, once Inter’s Andre Onana puts pen to paper on a move to Manchester United, which is an important signing for Steve Cooper, given that George Shelvey is his only fully-fit goalkeeper at present.
A new central midfielder is also of interest to Cooper, with a bid recently being tabled for PSV Eindhoven’s Ibrahim Sangare, as reported by journalist Daniel Taylor, saying: “Nottingham Forest have followed up their long-standing interest in Ibrahim Sangare by making offer for the PSV Eindhoven midfielder.
“NFFC first targeted the Ivory Coast international last summer. He is back on their list – but other clubs keen too.”
As reported by Football Insider’s transfer correspondent Pete O’Rourke, the Reds could still make a number of additions this summer, saying: “Nottingham Forest could add six new signings this summer. Whilst fans shouldn’t expect to see a similar influx of players as last year, Forest are still set to add to their current squad.”
According to reports from Brazil, Forest are engaged in several pursuits in South America, having been turned down by Botafogo star Matheus Nascimento, while they have also turned their attentions to Santos forward Deivid Washington (via Sport Witness).
A new midfielder is being considered by Cooper, and an approach has now been made for Sao Paulo’s Mendez, although no official bid has been placed yet.
The 26-year-old only arrived at Sao Paulo from Los Angeles FC in January, with the Tricolor signing him on a free transfer, but he could already be on the move, with Forest showing an interest in bringing him to The City Ground.
Who is Jhegson Mendez?
The Ecuadorian has spent much of his career in the MLS, having played for Orlando City and Los Angeles FC, however he moved to Sao Paulo in January, and he has since gone on to make 22 appearances for the Brazilian club.
At the World Cup, the Mira-born midfielder was a key player for his national side, averaging a 6.95 match rating across his two appearances, the second-highest figure in the squad.
Over the past year, the Ecuador international has averaged 1.66 blocks per 90, placing him in the 91st percentile compared to his positional peers, while he has also averaged a pass-completion rate of 87.2%, showcasing his ability in possession of the ball.
ESPN data analyst has hailed the maestro as “hardworking”, while also claiming he is “even more effective” without the ball, due to the amount of ground he covers, and the way in which he pressurises opposition players.
The only potential concern about signing Mendez is that he is unproven in a major league, having spent the vast majority of his career in the USA, and he may take some time to adapt to the Premier League.
