Nottingham Forest have been handed a boost in their search for a new goalkeeper with Luis Maximiano up for sale at Lazio five months after the Premier League outfit had a January bid turned down.
Before Keylor Navas arrived at the City Ground on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, Steve Cooper’s side tried and failed to sign not just Emil Audero of Sampdoria but also Anderlecht skipper Hendrick van Crombrugge and the aforementioned Luis Maximiano.
Nottingham Forest, per Citta Celeste, made a multi-million bid for the latter; a Portuguese 24-year-old who found himself on the outside looking in as Maurizio Sarri guided Lazio back to the Champions League last season.
In fact, Maximiano played only six minutes of Serie A football in 2022/23. He was sent off mere moments after the whistle blew on opening day, and was not seen again.
You could argue, then, that he needs Nottingham Forest as much as Nottingham Forest need him. As things stand, Wayne Hennessey and Ethan Horvath are Cooper’s only first-team goalkeeping options. Navas has gone, while a deal to bring Dean Henderson back to the City Ground from Manchester United has not yet come to fruition.
Nottingham Forest need a new goalkeeper
Maximiano would come a lot cheaper than the £30 million-rated Henderson.
Lazio owner Claudio Lotito, Citta Celeste add, would ‘gladly’ listen to offers. The Biancocolesti hope to recoup the £9 million they paid Granada back in the summer of 2022. Such a fee should not pose a problem for Nottingham Forest.
Further reports from the Italian capital suggest that Maximiano’s agent is hoping to secure his client a route out of Italy as a whole. There is a chance that Forest could move for both Henderson and the former Sporting Lisbon man, although it remains to be seen if Maximiano would be content with another season as second-choice.
Corriere dello Sport report that, in addition to Maximiano, Forest are also continuing to keep tabs on Audero.
Audero was relegated with Sampdoria last term.
Rumour rating: 7/10 – Nottingham Forest need goalkeepers, Maximiano needs to leave and Lazio need to sell. This one has legs.
