Nottingham Forest have landed their first two signings of the summer in ex-Chelsea full back Ola Aina from Italian side Torino on a free and Swedish international Anthony Elanga from Manchester United, the club said to have paid \u00a315m for the wide attackers signature.<\/p>\n
Both players arrived with the rest of the team for training at Gresham Close this week with Aina meeting his new team-mates for the first-time last week in Spain ahead of a victory against Levante in a game where the Reds were reduced to ten men.<\/p>\n
Aina is a 26-year-old London born defender who has 30 caps for Nigeria, for four of the last five seasons he\u2019s played in Serie A, racking up over 100 appearances for Torino in between a loan spell at Fulham where he played in the Premier League during their relegation season in 2020\/21.<\/p>\n
A versatile player who can fill a variety of roles from centre half, right and left back, even defensive midfield when asked to do a job, Aina will be a fabulous addition to Steve Cooper\u2019s make up, a player who reads the game well, one who\u2019s experience and nous will boost the Reds back-line, whether it be in a four or three defensively, even down the flank, although he doesn\u2019t get forward too much from his regular defensive position, this maybe an option when Forest play the likes of Manchester City or even Arsenal, who they start the season with at the Emirates on Saturday 12th August.<\/p>\n
Anthony Elanga is one of those players that fans will know much more about, a 21-year-old who\u2019s born in Malmo where his father, Cameroon International Joseph Elanga, was playing at the time, he started his youth career at IF Efsborg and Malmo before joining Manchester United in 2014, he\u2019s been at Old Trafford ever since, playing 55 times scoring 4 goals for the Red Devils, he\u2019s twelve Swedish International caps and has represented his birth country also at U17, U19 and U21 level, a player who can play on both wings, he\u2019s quick, strong, good in the air, and maybe a long term replacement for Brennan Johnson who could be sold to balance the FFP books, if not this summer, most certainly by next.<\/p>\n
Elanga touched many Forest fans in a video circling the internet where he was wowed by his previous experiences playing at the City Ground, he said \u201cThe fans here, I remember when I played here and we played you in the cup, oh my days, the build-up, oh my days, the tifo, oh my days, the castle, this club means business\u201d.<\/p>\n
Elanga continued \u201cWith the stadiums I\u2019ve played at, this is one of the loudest, this and St James\u2019 Park, but I think this one just edges it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Reds have a friendly match against Leeds United tonight in Burton ahead of further matches, starting this weekend at PSV Eindhoven (on Sunday night) before games with Rennes and Eintracht Frankfurt, opening up their Premier League season at Arsenal, the first home match of the campaign is on Friday 18th August against Sheffield United.<\/p>\n
Forest have been linked to a couple of other players this past week, as well as aiming to get a deal done for Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson they have flirted with another Brazilian, in Santos striker Marcos Leonardo, they have also been in talks with Senegal International Ismail Jakobs, a German born left back who currently plays for Monaco.<\/p>\n
Finally, going the other way, Forest have sold striker Sam Surridge for \u00a36m to Nashville FC of the MLS whilst two players who were out of contract this summer, Cafu and Jordan Smith, have joined Rotherham United and Stockport County, respectively, former midfielder Jack Colback has also been linked with a move to Birmingham City.<\/p>\n