The 23-year-old could be the perfect heir to the Brazilian…
Nottingham Forest are reportedly advancing in their talks to sign Monaco full-back Ismail Jakobs, as manager Steve Cooper looks to bolster his side with added quality this summer.
The Reds will be firmly on the hunt to add star talent ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, after settling towards the bottom of the table for the majority of their return season in the Premier League last term.
As reported by Fabrizio Romano this week, Forest are closing in on the Ligue 1 defender.
“Understand Nottingham Forest are now in advanced talks to sign Ismail Jakobs as new left-back,” he tweeted. “Player keen on the move, negotiations advancing on clubs side with AS Monaco to reach an agreement soon.”
Contracted to Monaco until 2026, the 23-year-old was picked up by the French side in 2021 from 1. FC Koln for a fee of €6.5m (£5.5m).
Having previously been dubbed as a “diamond” by U23 scout Jacek Kulig, the defender sparkled in Ligue 1 last term when given the chance to showcase his talents.
Across 32 appearances in the league last season, the Senegalese gem rose through the ranks of Koln’s academy in his journey to becoming a recognised figure in Europe.
As per FBref, the full-back averaged in the top 1% in terms of his average number of aerials won, recording 3.90 per 90 in 1222 minutes played over the past year.
Deployable anywhere on the left side, the defensively-minded machine could be a strong acquisition for Forest, who seek a new left-back ahead of the new season following the departure of Renan Lodi.
