Nottingham Forest are pushing to complete what could be their last major signing of the transfer window, closing in on a deal for Celta Vigo right-back Javi Rueda worth around €15m (£12.8m). The move would follow the club's earlier acquisition of striker Liam Delap from Chelsea and would round off a busy period of business at the City Ground.
Head coach Oliver Glasner has been on the lookout for a player capable of operating as a right wing-back, and the 24-year-old Rueda is seen as an ideal fit for that role. A product of Real Madrid's academy, Rueda left the Spanish capital three years ago to join Celta Vigo, where he has since developed into a regular first-team player. Should the transfer go through, Madrid stand to receive half of the transfer fee under a sell-on arrangement agreed when he departed.
Rueda, a former Spain youth international, established himself in Celta's starting lineup last season, making 26 appearances in La Liga along with 11 outings in the Europa League. His performances played a part in helping the Galician club advance to the quarter-finals of that competition.
Forest have also been active in managing their squad depth, confirming on Wednesday that wing-back Eric da Silva Moreira will join Dutch club Excelsior on a season-long loan. The move is intended to give the young player regular first-team football as part of his continued development.
Meanwhile, the striker deal that preceded the Rueda pursuit has been finalized, with Chelsea agreeing to sell Delap to Forest in a transaction reported to be worth £50m. The move comes as part of a broader reshuffle of Chelsea's squad, which has also seen defender Axel Disasi head out on loan to Crystal Palace for the upcoming campaign.
Disasi's switch to Selhurst Park continues a pattern of loan spells since his move to Chelsea from Monaco, having previously spent time on loan at both Aston Villa and West Ham. Speaking about his new temporary home, Disasi acknowledged the challenge Palace have historically posed to visiting sides.
"I know that it's very tough to play against Palace at Selhurst Park – so I'm looking forward to being on the other side now," Disasi said.
Elsewhere in the market, Brentford have reached an agreement with West Ham to sign left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf in a deal worth £35m, with a further £5m possible in add-ons. Diouf had made clear his desire to leave West Ham following the club's relegation, and the move to Brentford appears to offer him a fresh start in the top flight.
With the transfer window edging closer to its conclusion, Forest's pursuit of Rueda represents a final piece in Glasner's squad-building plans, aimed at strengthening options in wide defensive areas as the club prepares for the season ahead. The Delap transaction, meanwhile, adds firepower to the forward line, while the departures and loan moves involving Disasi, Da Silva Moreira and Diouf illustrate the wider reshaping taking place across several Premier League clubs before the market closes.
Based on reporting from Guardian Football.