NOTTINGHAM FOREST have reportedly tabled a £30million transfer bid for a French international that almost quit football to deliver pizzas instead.
Steve Cooper’s side are chasing Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana, who was previously wanted by Arsenal.
Nottingham Forest have tabled a £30m bid for Monaco’s Youssouf FofanaRex
The 24-year-old has been at the Stade Louis II since joining from Strasbourg in 2020 after helping his old side to Coupe de la Ligue success.
Since then he has become a virtual ever-present, making over 140 appearances for Monaco.
His displays led to a first international call-up last September, and he went on to play in six of France’s seven games in their run to the World Cup Final, where they suffered defeat to Argentina on penalties.
Now the Daily Mail claim that a new chapter in his storied career could be about to begin with Forest tabling a £30m offer to Monaco in an attempt to sign him.
They also state that Cooper is planning a triple raid on Chelsea for winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, defender Trevoh Chalobah and left-back Ian Maatsen.
Forest also want at least one other centre-half, and both Manchester City’s Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Morato of Benfica are being targeted along with Arsenal ace Nuno Tavares.
But the potential arrival of Fofana will certainly get the City Ground faithful excited – although things could have turned out much different for the defensive midfielder.
As a youngster he was part of the famed Clairefontaine academy in his homeland.
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However, as other talents his age such as Moussa Diaby were being snapped up by PSG, he left at 15 without a club.
Fofana soon secured himself a job delivering pizzas as he considered whether he had a future in the game.
He says he never doubted his technical abilities – but it was the mental side of the game that he needed to improve.
And, eventually, three years after leaving Clairefontaine he earned a second chance in football with Strasbourg, and his journey to the top began.
He told The Guardian previously: “Strasbourg prepared me more mentally because their training centre, compared to Clairefontaine and Monaco, in terms of quality, is a level below.
“It pushed me to go higher and further, and I improved more mentally than technically or tactically.”
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