The race for Jota Silva has taken a dramatic late twist, with Record reporting that Nottingham Forest rejected fresh bids from both Sporting and, for the first time, Botafogo. The Brazilian club’s entry into the conversation is new, and raising eyebrows.
Sporting improved their previous offer by submitting a loan proposal for the 2025/26 season with a €2m fee, plus an extra €2m in bonuses: €1m if Jota Silva plays at least 50% of the matches, and another €1m if he scores 15 goals. The deal also included a €16m mandatory purchase clause for next summer.
Botafogo, in turn, came forward with a straight bid of €19m, with performance bonuses that could raise the total fee to €23m, based on four separate blocks of 20 matches.
Despite both improved offers, Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis rejected them. Interestingly, there’s a growing belief that Botafogo’s “interest” may be more strategic than genuine.
Given the strong ties between John Textor and Marinakis, it’s very possible this late approach is designed to pressure Sporting into improving their offer.
While the Lions continue pushing to secure the winger – a long-standing request from Rui Borges – they’ve also looked at alternatives. One of them was Kevin, the Brazilian winger from Shakhtar Donetsk. However, that move is now considered unlikely, with Kevin reportedly on the verge of signing for Fulham.
With just hours left in the window, Sporting remain in the race, but the clock is ticking, and Marinakis is still calling the shots.
