Player tells Nottingham Forest board he wants to leave in January with price tag set
Nottingham Forest’s January rumours already stretch from Selhurst Park to Rio, with a striker linked at one end and a club trying to make a loan permanent at the other.
Nottingham Forest’s January plans stretch from Selhurst Park to Rio
Beating Man City lifted the mood at the City Ground, and it also changed how pressing one of those deals looks.
Reports suggest Forest are prepared to compete with Man United for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta in January, and the Frenchman has hit double figures in the league three seasons running, so there’s a case for adding him even after Liam Delap’s double against City.
What Saturday’s win gives Forest is a little more breathing space to decide whether another centre forward is worth the cost in January.
Meanwhile, on the exit front, Vasco da Gama are further along in their push for Cuiabano.
Lucas Pedrosa reported a bid of around £6m last week for the left-back, who is already on loan in Rio and wants to stay. Globo says Vasco are trying to buy him for less than the £8.5m option in that deal.
That leaves the Brazilian club with one price to sort out with Forest, and they could soon have another reason to get in touch.
John Victor makes his position clear to Forest
John Victor has made it clear to Forest’s board that he wants a move when the January window opens, according to ESPN’s Bruno Andrade.
The goalkeeper hasn’t played this season, and Forest are reportedly open to selling for at least £4m, giving any club looking to bring him back to Brazil a figure to work with.
Forest signed him from Botafogo in August 2025 on a deal running to 2028, after he helped the Rio club win the Brazilian league and Copa Libertadores.
|
John Victor’s all-time Forest stats |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Competition |
Apps |
Conceded |
Clean sheets |
|
Premier League |
5 |
8 |
1 |
|
Europa League |
3 |
1 |
2 |
|
League Cup |
1 |
3 |
0 |
|
Total |
9 |
12 |
3 |
He’s made nine competitive appearances for Forest, the last of them in January’s defeat at Aston Villa, where a knee injury ended his season.
Vasco are already looking at him, with RTI Esporte, via Sport Witness, reporting last week that they’d opened talks with his representatives and had the backing of new president Marcos Lamacchia to explore a move.
A deal for Victor would still need Forest’s approval, whatever happens with Vasco’s attempt to buy Cuiabano.
Forest have a decision to make behind Matz Sels
Saturday’s team sheet tells you why Victor is looking elsewhere.
Matz Sels started against City and Victor watched from the bench, which has been his place all season, with Sels even keeping hold of the shirt in the Carabao Cup defeat to Leeds.
There’s an FA Cup tie to come in January, but a game here or there won’t give Victor the run he’s looking for.
He’s 30 and has already played for major trophies in Brazil, so it makes sense that he’d want to get back to a club where he can play every week.
Forest have to decide what that means for their goalkeeping cover.
Steven Benda arrived in the summer after Stefan Ortega and Angus Gunn left, and the club have already seen how quickly the numbers can thin out.
If Glasner trusts Benda to step in, there’s room to talk about letting Victor go. The fee is only half the question for Forest; the other half is whether they’ll have enough cover the next time Sels can’t play.
