Nottingham Forest is reportedly facing a challenge in retaining the services of winger Jota Silva as Turkish giants Beşiktaş make an attempt to secure the Portuguese wide man.
On the back of an impressive seventh-placed finish in the Premier League, Forest is eagerly anticipating a prolonged campaign in next season’s Europa Conference League.
The club is already making moves in the transfer market, with plans to acquire at least two players from Brazilian side Botafogo, who are currently featuring in the Club World Cup.
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However, these incoming acquisitions may have implications for existing squad members. Jota Silva, 25, who proved to be a valuable backup option last season, making five starts and 26 substitute appearances, was frequently Nuno Espírito Santo’s first attacking change from the bench.
Despite his contributions, accumulating 842 minutes of Premier League football, it’s evident that the Portuguese international is not among Nuno’s primary starting options.
According to Turkish outlet Fotospor, Beşiktaş, now under the management of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, is keen to secure a deal for Silva, reportedly on a loan basis. However, the same report indicates that Nottingham Forest has rejected this initial proposal, signaling their intent to retain Silva’s services.
Beşiktaş may allegedly return with an improved bid for the player as Solskjaer, who arrived in mid-2024-25, looks to shape his own squad additions. Given that Forest paid in the region of £6 million for Silva, the club is not under significant pressure to generate a quick sale.
With Igor Jesus reportedly on his way from Botafogo, competition for attacking berths is set to increase, and Jesus could potentially move ahead of Silva in the pecking order.
Nevertheless, if Forest successfully qualifies for the Conference League group stage, the two-cap Portugal international is likely to see regular involvement across domestic and European fixtures.
Furthermore, Silva still has three years remaining on his current contract, indicating ample room for further development. Unless the player actively pushes for a transfer, it is anticipated that Nuno Espírito Santo will aim to keep a Portuguese-speaking player who will soon be joined by more South American talents.
