Nottingham Forest are now willing to trigger Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy's release clause, which is believed to be in the region of €15m – €20m (£13m – £17m), according to a recent report from Kicker.
Who are Nottingham Forest signing this summer?
Forest are still searching for a new striker ahead of their opening Premier League game against Arsenal this Saturday, and they recently made a bid for Rosario Central's Alejo Veliz, however they have missed out on his signature.
Tottenham Hotspur have now completed a deal for the 19-year-old, so Steve Cooper will have to turn his attention towards other targets, and the Reds have now enquired about Paris Saint-Germain forward Hugo Ekitike, who has also attracted the interest of West Ham United.
According to a report from German news outlet Kicker (via Sport Witness), the Tricky Trees are now interested in signing Guirassy, and they are willing to trigger his release clause, which stands at around €15m – €20m (£13m – £17m).
Given that the 27-year-old has a release clause in his contract, there is not much Stuttgart can do to keep hold of him, and he is keen on a move to the City Ground, which indicates a deal could be on the cards in the very near future.
Forest are set to push for the forward in the coming days, and it turns out he is not the only Stuttgart player they hold an interest in, as they are also keen on left-back Borna Sosa.
The German club are demanding a similar price for the 25-year-old, who could be available for a fee of around €15m (£13m), and the Reds are now poised to make contact with Stuttgart sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth in the near future.
Who is Serhou Guirassy?
The Stuttgart forward was born in Arles, France, but he is a Guinea international, making seven appearances for the West African nation, and scoring two goals, most recently finding the back of the net against Brazil in a friendly back in June.
That is not the only time the former Rennes man has proven he is capable of performing against one of the world's best sides, having been lauded as "excellent" by journalist Josh Bunting for his display against Bayern Munich last season, bullying Matthijs de Ligt.
In each of his past four league seasons, the 6 foot 2 forward has amassed a minimum of nine league goals, performing very well in his first season in the Bundesliga last term, registering 11 goals in 22 league games, while also finding the back of the net in the relegation play-off.
Having averaged 0.49 non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, it is clear the France-born striker is a very good finisher, but there may be some concern over the fact that he does not offer much else, failing to register a single assist in that timeframe.
That said, if Forest are to preserve their Premier League status next season, it would be very useful to have an out-and-out goalscorer, and Guirassy certainly fits the bill in that regard, so he could be a solid addition to the squad.
