Salernitana are said to have reiterated their stance over Nottingham Forest-linked midfielder Lassana Coulibaly.
Reports in Italy suggested the Reds had put forward a £7 million bid for the 26-year-old earlier this month, ahead of the January transfer window. Salernitana sporting director Morgan De Sanctis and the club’s hierarchy were said to be “not tempted” by the offer - and it seems they are prepared to stand firm in their attempts to retain his services.
Italian media outlet Le Cronache states Coulibaly “is insistently followed” by Forest. But they add chief executive Danilo Iervolino “has no intention of giving up” one of the team’s “jewels”.
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However, if a swoop for the Mali international does not come off next month, a door has potentially been opened for the Reds further down the line. Iervolino, it is said, “has postponed any discussion until next July”. A lack of suitable replacements had previously been identified as a potential stumbling block to any deal - a situation which might have changed come the summer.
Coulibaly joined the Italian side in the summer of 2021 as a free agent, having departed Angers. He came up through the ranks at Bastia, in Corsica, and has previously had loan spells at Rangers and Cercle Brugge.
Forest have already made one January addition, bringing in Brazilian attacking midfielder Gustavo Scarpa. His contract with the Reds will officially start on January 1, when his deal with Palmeiras ends.
Head coach Steve Cooper is expected to bolster his squad with further additions to aid his team’s battle for top-flight survival. Owner Evangelos Marinakis has pledged there will be at least two new arrivals when the window reopens.
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