Nottingham Forest considering their options after £20m offer is turned down for Brighton midfielder… following failed bid for Lewis Dunk

Nottingham Forest are considering a second move for Yasin Ayari after having a £20million offer rejected for the Brighton midfielder.

Daily Mail Sport revealed on Thursday that Forest had contacted Brighton with their opening bid, which was swiftly turned down.

Ayari, 22, has established himself as a key player for Brighton. He has made 23 appearances in all competitions this term, scoring four times and registering one assist. He has also earned 17 caps for Sweden.

There has been a good deal of activity between Forest and Brighton in recent months. As first reported here, Forest showed interest in Jack Hinshelwood and Lewis Dunk last autumn, and followed with a bid for Dunk earlier in January. 

At that time, Brighton were unwilling to let Dunk leave and he is now expected to stay at least until the summer after signing a one-year contract extension in December.

Forest will be busy in what remains of this window. They have made multiple offers for Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta, though the decisive conversations on that deal are unlikely to take place until after the Premier League fixture at the City Ground on Sunday.

They have already signed Italy forward Lorenzo Lucca on loan from Napoli for the remainder of the season, and cut short Douglas Luiz’s loan spell from Juventus, allowing the Brazilian to rejoin his former club Aston Villa.

With England midfielder Elliot Anderson expected to leave Forest this summer for a club record fee, it feels significant that they are trying to sign players in his position now.