Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo is aiming to use the 2025 summer transfer window to bolster a squad which secured European qualification last term.
Given how well the club performed throughout 2024/25, Forest have a genuine chance of winning the Conference League.
Santo has shown admiration for plenty of potential targets, including Yunus Musah and Lukas Ullrich, but it appears as though one Serie A star has been linked more than most…
Latest on Nottingham Forest’s interest in Timothy Weah
As was widely reported earlier this month, including via transfer insider Gianluca Di Marzio, Forest were believed to be interested in signing Timothy Weah this summer.
Juventus appeared to be demanding just £12m for Weah, should they agree to cash in, which looked to be a solid piece of business by the club.
Last season, the American played 43 times for the Serie A giants, scoring six goals and grabbing five assists in the process.
In the top flight, he recorded an impressive goal conversion percentage of 24%, while also creating four big chances and averaging 0.6 key passes per game.
He played across several positions last year, predominantly on the right flank, a position which the Midlands side are keen to bolster.
After stepping up their pursuit of the one-time Celtic loanee, however, journalist Ben Jacobs revealed on Friday that Forest had actually walked away from any negotiations, despite the deal being “close”, after carrying out “extensive data analysis“.
As such, the City Ground outfit may need to turn their attention elsewhere, with one Brazilian star seemingly on their radar…
Why Nottingham Forest must sign Pepe
As reported by ESPN earlier this week, four Premier League clubs have opened talks to sign Porto winger Pepe this summer.
Forest have been named as one of those clubs, along with Aston Villa, Fulham and Burnley. The fact that Santo led them to Europe indicates that they could potentially be one of the frontrunners.
|
Pepe’s statistics for Porto (league only) |
|
|---|---|
|
Goals |
3 |
|
Assists |
2 |
|
Big chances created |
5 |
|
Key passes per game |
1 |
|
Successful dribbles per game |
0.6 |
|
Shots per game |
1 |
A fee of £21m has been set, which is more than affordable for the Midlands side, no doubt about that.
While Weah may be the cheaper option, Pepe is certainly the bigger talent. Last season, the Brazilian dynamo registered an impressive total of 11 goal contributions across all competitions.
When comparing the pair via their domestic stats last term, it becomes clear who enjoyed the more productive campaign. Indeed, Pepe not only recorded more shots per 90 (1.36 vs 1.15), but he also registered more shot-creating actions (2.71 vs 1.98), goal-creating actions (0.36 vs 0.16) and more touches in the opposition penalty area (79 vs 35), showcasing his superiority in these metrics.
South American football expert Tim Vickery lauded the winger when he was linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur a couple of seasons ago, saying:
“I certainly remember him as a winger with Gremio, little mosquito kind of winger, who can do either flank.”
His ability to play on either wing could also come in handy, giving Santo some added flexibility, especially if injuries start to play their part.
It is clear that the manager wants to bring those to Forest who have proven ability on the biggest stages. Having scored in the Champions League, Copa Libertadores and Europa League, as well as gaining two caps for Brazil, Pepe would be an excellent signing.
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