West Ham & Nottingham Forest in talks over left-back signings

  • Nigerian international Zaidu Sanusi currently on the books of FC Porto
  • West Ham & Forest also interested in Sevilla's Marcos Acuna, who Aston Villa had looked at
  • The Hammers have made three summer signings; Forest six to date including Andrey Santos
Zaidu Sanusi and Marcos Acuna are being eyed as potential transfer targets
Zaidu Sanusi and Marcos Acuna are being eyed as potential transfer targets / Diogo Cardoso | Silvestre Szpylma/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
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West Ham and Nottingham Forest are both talking to left-backs Zaidu Sanusi and Marcos Acuna over potential moves to the Premier League, 90min understands.

Sanusi is currently on the books of Portuguese heavyweights FC Porto, while World Cup winner Acuna, who featured for Argentina in every game at the 2022 finals other than the semi-final win over Croatia, is at Europa League specialists Sevilla.

Both clubs are looking to strengthen their options at left-back ahead of the summer window shutting on September 1. West Ham are open to letting Aaron Cresswell leave this summer if a replacement can be sought to compete with Emerson, and Steve Cooper's Forest are looking to provide further competition for summer arrival Ola Aina.

The Hammers have made three summer signings already, bringing in James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez and Konstantinos Mavropanos, as David Moyes looks to build a squad capable of competing in both the Premier League and the Europa League - the latter participation a reward for last season's historic Conference League win.

Forest have handed six new signings to their squad, with the aim to establish the club as a mid-table side no longer looking over their shoulder at the threat of relegation.

Acuna is currently carrying an injury which will sideline him for a few weeks, but sources have confirmed to 90min that are Forest are preparing a contract offer until 2025.


West Ham near Kudus deal

Mohammed Kudus
Mohammed Kudus looks West Ham bound / BSR Agency/GettyImages

West Ham are closing in on the signing of Ajax's Mohammed Kudus, with technical director Tim Steidten in Bulgaria finalising the details of his €44m (£37.5m) move.

23-year-old Kudus scored a hat-trick for Ajax on Thursday night in what looks increasingly likely to be his final game for the club, and told Dutch media after the game that it was likely his last appearance for the Amsterdam-based giants.

West Ham are understood to see Kudus as a centre or wide forward option, and it was in a withdrawn role that he scored a hat-trick in as Ajax beat Ludogorets 4-1 in the first leg of their Europa League qualification play-off tie.

Ajax have already started to plan for life after Kudus, with sources confirming to 90min that talks are underway for Atlanta United talisman Thiago Almada.


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Forest complete Santos loan signing

Andrey Santos
Santos has joined Forest on loan / Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images

Nottingham Forest have completed the loan signing of Chelsea's Brazilian wonderkid Andrey Santos.

An £18m signing from Vasco da Gama in January, Santos spent the remainder of last season in Brazil but moved to Stamford Bridge to join Mauricio Pochettino's squad for their pre-season tour, with a view to playing first-team football this season.

But a loan away from Chelsea was always on the cards, to further Santos' experience, and Forest have acted quickly to provide the teenager with the Premier League football his parent club want him to play.

Santos follows Gonzalo Montiel into the club this week after he completed a permanent move from cash-strapped Sevilla. Chris Wood, Anthony Elanga and Matt Turner are the other arrivals at the City Ground this summer, in addition to the aforementioned Aina.


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