Real Betis’ inability to complete a deal for Lyon’s Houssem Aouar has forced him closer to joining Nottingham Forest.
That’s according to Estadio Deportivo, who cover the situation around the French midfielder today.
They explain that at the end of July a move to Betis ‘seemed imminent’ for Aouar, with those in charge even considering making him their priority signing.
That would have been a ploy to stop English sides securing his signature, and negotiations with Lyon were so advanced that they already had an agreement on a deal worth money plus William Carvalho.
What was missing was an agreement with Aouar, who was asking for around €4m in wages, something Betis couldn’t match.
Their finances are tight and ultimately led to them changing their plans to focus on other signings and renewing players in the squad, something they are yet to do.
They would need ‘many circumstances’ to go in their favour if they were to now sign Aouar but they ‘seem very distant’, so the player has been looking elsewhere.
He has ‘assumed’ he will not be moving to Betis and Nottingham Forest have taken advantage of that.
They are now the ‘strongest in the fight’ and have already met Lyon’s demands, so much so that they are ‘finalising the last few details’ of the transfer.
That has been made possible by Betis inability to finalise a deal that had looked certain at one point, with their financial uncertainty opening the door for Nottingham Forest to pull off a major coup.
