Chelsea and Manchester City are keen on signing Nottingham Forest full-back Ola Aina in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Give Me Sport, Ola Aina wants to commit his long-term future to high-flying Premier League club Nottingham Forest, and the development will come as a major blow for Chelsea and Manchester City.
It is no surprise that both clubs need to bring in a quality full-back in the summer, and Aina would have been an exceptional acquisition for them. The former Chelsea player knows the West London club well, and he could have settled in quickly and made an instant impact at Stamford Bridge if he joined Chelsea, thus explaining their interest.
Chelsea need an alternative to Marc Cucurella, even though the Spanish international has been exceptional in the last 12 months. It remains to be seen whether the West London outfit can bring in the right additions before the start of the 2025/26 season.
Meanwhile, Manchester City have had to use players like Josko Gvardiol as a left-back. The Croatian international is more suited to the role of a central defender, and Manchester City need a specialist full-back at their disposal. In addition, the right-back spot has only Rico Lewis as an option, which explains the eagerness to sign Aina.
Aina has proven himself in the Premier League at Nottingham Forest. The 28-year-old is certainly good enough to play for high-profile clubs, and he could have been an asset for Chelsea or Manchester City.
Chelsea and Manchester City have had a mediocre season so far, and they will look to improve their squad adequately during the summer transfer window. They will look to bounce back strongly and fight for trophies next season.
Can Nottingham tie Aina down to a new deal?
Nottingham Forest have enjoyed an exceptional 2024/25 season, and they are well placed to secure UEFA Champions League qualification for the 2025/26 campaign. If they manage to do so, they should be able to convince their top players to stay at the club beyond this season.
It is no surprise that the defender is ready to commit his long-term future to the club. It remains to be seen whether all parties can come to an agreement quickly amid the links with Premier League bigwigs.
