Journalist Jacque Talbot has revealed that Nottingham Forest will try to negotiate a cheaper transfer fee for Renan Lodi if they avoid relegation this season.
What's the latest on Renan Lodi and Nottingham Forest?
Last summer, amid their intense spending spree following promotion to the Premier League, Steve Cooper's side added an impressive left-back to their ranks.
Indeed, Forest paid La Liga giants Atletico Madrid a reported £4.7m loan fee to have Lodi for the season, while the deal included to option to make the switch permanent for £25m.
As we head towards the end of the league campaign, while speaking on the player on his YouTube channel, Talbot explained that the Reds want to keep the player so long as they avoid relegation – but are hoping to get him for a cheaper price than previously agreed.
The journalist also noted that the player will likely stay in the Premier League, but may have to leave Forest if they go down.
In full, he explained: “So we heard that he’s not definitely going back there [Atletico]. But there will be a negotiation of the fee, and Forest will look to bring that down initially if they stay up.
"If they go down, then Lodi will go back [to Spain], then I believe he'll go back to England. That's the ambition. I don't think he's going to be going back to Atletico. At this point, that will be the case, but he will be coming back to England, a new club.
"So Forest, in their first instance of surviving, are going to look to negotiate that €30m fee, and try and bring it down a bit [to] €25m – I don't know, I'm just throwing it out there, €20m, €25m – and see if they're able to do that.
"I believe Atletico are struggling a bit for money, so maybe Forest feel as though they've got a bit of leverage on that front."
Will Forest sign Lodi permanently?
There have been some reports in Spanish media that Nottingham Forest don't plan on exercising the purchase option they have for the left-back and so Lodi will return to Madrid at the end of the season.
However, Talbot clearly has heard different information which suggests there is potential uncertainty around the situation at this moment in time.
That is actually quite understandable seeing as so much of Lodi's future probably depends on whether or not Forest avoid relegation. After all, they are currently just two places and two points above the bottom three with just 11 games to go.
With that in mind, they probably can't make any definitive calls on transfers – while his £62,000-per-week wages may also be a factor – until they know what division they will be playing in but if Cooper can keep his team up, then fans may well expect a bid to come in for Lodi – though it will likely be less than the £25m originally agreed with Atletico.
