Several Nottingham Forest players have already been linked with transfers to perennial Greek champions Olympiacos ahead of the January transfer window opens.
The Piraeus-based club are also owned by Evangelos Marinakis and already have a number of current as well as former Forest players on their books. Summer signings Hwang Ui-jo and Josh Bowler both joined the club earlier this season almost as soon as they signed for the Reds.
Andreas Bouchalakis currently captains the club after spending a single season in the Championship at the City Ground before returning to Olympiacos, while former Forest loanee Pajtim Kasami is also back with the club and scored the winner against the Reds when the two teams played a mid-season friendly against each other earlier this month. Joao Carvalho and Philip Zinckernagel are both also on the club's books, but are currently loaned out to Portuguese side Estoril and Belgian club Standard Liege respectively.
READ MORE: Forest sent clear transfer message as Olympiacos 'consider' deal
READ MORE: Olympiacos 'considering' fresh Forest transfer in January
This tally could yet rise once the January transfer window opens on New Year's Day. Here is a round-up of all the current Reds players linked with making a move down this well-trodden path.
Harry Toffolo
The Forest full-back is reportedly likely to be made available during the January transfer window as Olympiacos apparently have the player on their shortlist. Greek sports news website to10.gr, translated to English, report that they are 'considering' the player as they seek to sign a left-back.
They claim 'changes are coming' in Piraeus, with the reigning champions currently fourth in the Greek Super League and 12 points adrift of their table-topping arch-rivals Panathinaikos. On Toffolo, it is added that Forest's own 'search for another full-back' and the presence of Atletico Madrid loanee Renan Lodi are 'likely' to make Toffolo available during January.
Loic Mbe Soh
The defender was once linked with a move to Greece, but is now "fast approaching" a loan move away, according to French outlet Jeunes Footeux, and to join French second-tier side Guingamp. They say talks between the two clubs are "moving in the right direction", with talks to be "formalised very soon" ahead of the January transfer window.
He featured from the bench on in the Carabao Cup fourth round as Forest beat Blackburn at Ewood Park to progress to the quarter-finals of the competition, perhaps topping up his match fitness a little ahead of a move away back to his homeland.
Read more, here and here.
Willy Boly
The surprise name on this list is summer signing Boly. The experienced defender penned a two-year deal at the City Ground when he joined from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The 31-year-old has mainly been named on the bench for Forest since joining, but did play Premier League games against Fulham and Crystal Palace before the World Cup break, helping the Reds to keep a clean sheet in the clash against the Eagles.
Boly was brought to the club for his Premier League experience in Forest’s first year in the division. Therefore, how willing the club will be to let him go in January is still to be seen.
According to reports in Greece, relayed by Filathlos.gr , the Greek side have now ‘turned their attention’ to a possible move for the Forest defender. They suggest that centre-back will be a priority for manager Michel, with the club exploring options from overseas, including England.
Loic Bade
Reports in Greece had linked the defender with a switch to Olympiacos after not featuring for Forest this season, but Rennes, the player's parent club, manager Bruno Genesio has now revealed Bade will join Sevilla.
"At the moment, it's not confirmed, but it should happen in the next few days," he said. "I hope so, for him because he needs to play. There were reports that Forest made an agreement with Rennes in October not to play Bade, so he could join a new club in January, as FIFA rules only allow a player to feature for two clubs in a single season.
Read more, here and here.
Brandon Aguilera
The midfielder Brandon Aguilera could be loaned out to the Greek club in the new year, according to the player's agent, Kurt Morsink, ahead of his return in January.
The 19-year-old put pen to paper on a four-year deal at the City Ground in the summer before joining former club Guanacasteca on a six-month loan. While there was some expectation that he would be an option for boss Steve Cooper, Morsink acknowledged that Forest 'wants to loan him out again' but 'now to a European team,' according to ESPN, with Olympiacos a possibility.
Speaking to TigoSports, Morsink said : "It is that possibility, it is more or less, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Nottingham has a very good relationship with Olympiacos, they are very respected leagues in Europe but 'intermediate' they are of a very high level that [Aguilera] can have the possibility of having minutes.
Julian Larsson
The striker will join Olympiacos in the January transfer window, according to Greek outlet talentabout.gr.
The 21-year-old will join the Greek outfit's B team on a permanent basis, despite recent reports suggesting he will move between Evangelos Marinakis-owned clubs on loan. There is no reported fee or contract length, though the striker is highly-rated, so will likely pen a long-term deal with his new club.
Larsson's contract at the City Ground is until the summer of 2025, having penned fresh terms in April of this year. So there will likely be a fee involved for his exit - although the process will run smoothly as Evangelos Marinakis is the owner of both clubs.
Who out of all of these players are you expecting to sign for Olympiacos in January? Have your say in the comments...
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