Serhou Guirassy to Nottingham Forest: Reds’ ‘interest’, price tag, what has been said.
Latest Nottingham Forest transfer news as Steve Cooper’s Reds continue to be linked with Stuttgart striker.
Nottingham Forest continue to be linked with Vfb Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy.
The Reds reportedly had their eye on him in the summer as they bolstered their squad in a bid to push on in the Premier League. And his is a name which is refusing to go away.
He has made a fine start to the season, and the word from Germany is that interest in him is only expected to grow. With the latest update from newspaper Bild suggesting Forest are still keeping tabs on him, we take a look at the forward’s career so far and what has been said about his future.
Who is he?
Guirassy started out playing for French clubs Montargis, Amilly and Laval. Since then, he has had a varied career which has taken in a number of calling points.
A Guinea international, he has played for Lille, Auxerre, Cologne, Amiens, Rennes and now Stuttgart. After a successful loan spell in 2022/23, the 27-year-old signed a three-year deal with the latter at the end of the campaign after they activated an option to make his move permanent.
The club’s decision has been vindicated as Guirassy has been in red-hot form this term. He has netted 10 goals in six league games, helping his team to second place in the Bundesliga. He started 2023/24 by scoring eight goals with eight shots on target in his first four league games – something no player at Stuttgart had managed before.
The Bundesliga’s official website has compared him to former England forward Emile Heskey. They say: “Heskey’s strong presence, pace and sometimes powerful finishing mirrors that of Stuttgart’s in-form forward. In a similar style to Heskey, Guirassy is a powerful presence in the air, boasts good close control and is capable of playing out wide to add to his team’s options.”
How much would he cost?
It was recently reported that within the next year a £17 million release clause in Guirassy’s contract will become active. That would mean he could be available for what has been dubbed a “bargain” price at the end of the season.
It is said the forward’s release clause and his current scoring streak make him “appealing” to Steve Cooper’s side. However, it is “unlikely” anything will happen in January due to Stuttgart’s strong start to the campaign.
He was also previously linked with Fulham. Talks were said to have been held over a possible move to Craven Cottage, but Guirassy ended up staying put at Stuttgart.
What has been said?
Guirassy recently addressed the summer speculation. And he hinted he would be open to a move to the Premier League at some point.
“We (Stuttgart) have a good team, a good coach and incredible fans,” he said. “We feel very comfortable as a family in Stuttgart. That’s why I decided to stay at VfB.”
Asked if it was his dream to play in the top flight of English football, he said: “Not exactly a dream. But if there is an option to move to the Premier League at some point, why not? But it’s not like I dream about it every day.”
Do Forest need a striker?
The Reds strengthened at the top end of the pitch in the summer, bringing in forward Divock Origi on loan from AC Milan, and attackers Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga. Taiwo Awoniyi is now in his second season with the club and has started the campaign strongly, while head coach Cooper can also call upon Chris Wood.
Forest have no shortage of attacking threat and they have put together some exciting passages of play during their first few games of the campaign. However, they haven’t always created enough chances or scored enough goals to go with that.
They have found the net eight times in seven league games so far, scoring three in their last four matches. It is a tally Cooper is keen to improve – although, in part, it can be attributed to the Reds’ new signings adapting and the players gelling as a group.
Any club always wants to ensure they have enough firepower in the ranks, and Forest are no different. On paper, they have a number of players who can cause opposition teams all kinds of problems.
How the coming months pan out will affect the transfer business they look to do next summer. If Guirassy keeps up his scoring streak, it is unlikely the Reds will be the only ones casting admiring glances in his direction.
Leave a Reply