Goalkeeper Brice Samba is said to be a transfer priority for Lens amid uncertainty over his Nottingham Forest future.
The shot-stopper has 12 months left to run on the four-year deal he signed when he joined the Reds from Caen in 2019. But reports suggest he has told the club he intends to leave this summer, having deemed the terms of a fresh contract “unacceptable”.
If the situation doesn’t get resolved, it seems Lens would be ready to take advantage. Former Angers SCO head of communications Mohamed Toubache-Ter, as quoted by Get French Football News, says the French outfit have been following the Forest keeper for a number of months.
Read more: Forest face shock summer exit as Samba contract claim made
Read more: Forest sent 'baffled' message after shock Brice Samba claim
Fierce competition
Nottingham Forest are facing a growing list of competition to sign Chelsea striker Armando Broja. The Reds are looking to sign Broja on a loan deal after his impressive season on-loan at Southampton last season. He scored six goals and contributed one assist in 32 appearances for the Saints.
Broja is available for another loan away from Stamford Bridge having established his talent during an impressive 12 months on the south coast.
According to Ryan Taylor of the Daily Express, at least six clubs are interested in signing Broja this summer either on loan or permanent deals. West Ham, Southampton, Everton and Forest have routinely been named as having an interest, whilst Napoli and Inter are also understood to be monitoring the situation.
Transfer kitty
Nottingham Forest are set to splash the cash this summer, following promotion to the Premier League.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis has already invested heavily in the Reds since he bought the club five years ago. And he has pledged to back Steve Cooper in the transfer market in the coming weeks, as the head coach gets the chance to put his stamp on the squad.
According to The Times, Cooper will be given a budget of between £75m and £100m to spend on new players. Last summer, only three top-flight sides spent more than that amount - Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal.
Goalkeeper options
Nottingham Forest may have to unexpectedly enter the transfer market for a first-choice goalkeeper this summer following claims that Brice Samba 'intends to leave' the club after being offered an 'unacceptable' new contract offer.
The 28-year-old was the Reds ' semi-final play-off hero after saving three Sheffield United penalties at the City Ground three weeks ago, but claims in The Athletic have put the player's immediate future in doubt. Samba made 45 appearances across all competitions this past season but was benched for three matches in March following a suspension after being shown a straight red card against Stoke City.
Ethan Horvath deputised for that run of six matches before Samba was reinstated. However, the American international, who arrived at the City Ground on a free transfer last summer, could step into the breach once again if Samba does depart.
