Nottingham Forest eye surprise approach for out-of-sorts £13.3m Aston Villa ace

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are considering recruiting Moreno on loan as they seek to add depth and quality on the left side of defence.

Moreno started his Villa career excellently as he shone in a dynamic and advanced wing-back role during the second half of the 2022/23 campaign. Last season was far different, though, as Moreno was kept out of the team by the ultra-impressive Lucas Digne. He struggled during many of his cameos, too.

The Athletic reports Forest are actively looking into the possibility of acquiring Moreno’s services for the upcoming campaign. Villa are aware of their interest, while the player is currently pondering his options.

Moreno isn’t needed at Villa Park as Unai Emery now has Ian Maatsen - the £37.5 million summer arrival from Chelsea - at his disposal. Digne is also expected to be a regular starter again as Champions League football is added to Villa’s schedule.

The report from The Athletic mentions Forest will face tough competition for Moreno’s signature as Besiktas, Galatasaray, OGC Nice and Villarreal are all interested. Betis, who the 31-year-old joined the Villans from in January 2023 for £13.3 million, are another club keen, eager to reunite with their former player.

Forest’s current left-back options include Harry Toffolo and Omar Richards, while Neco Williams and Ola Aina are more than capable of moving across from the right. If Moreno joins, he would be Nuno’s eighth recruit after Elliot Anderson, Nikola Milenkovic, Ramon Sosa, Jota Silva, Marko Stamenic, Carlos Miguel and Eric Moreira.