Nottingham Forest
NOTTINGHAM FOREST MISS OUT ON £4M DEAL AND MANAGER IS DELIGHTED
Bologna coach Thiago Motta is pleased to retain Sydney van Hooijdonk as a potential £4 million move to Nottingham Forest or Scottish Premiership champions Celtic failed to materialise.
The son of former Hoops frontman Pierre Van Hooijdonk might not have kicked a ball in anger for Bologna of late but, speaking to Tuttomercatoweb, the Rossoblu boss insists that opportunities will still be forthcoming for a man who hit the back of the net 19 times during a stellar loan spell at Heerenveen in 2022/23.
According to Netsport Report Il Resto del Carlino, Celtic showed an interest in bringing Sydney van Hooijdonk to Parkhead. Thus, permitting the penalty-box poacher to follow in his father’s green-and-white footsteps.
Nottingham Forest, another of Pierre’s old clubs, were also reportedly interested.
But, in a move that few saw coming, Bologna opted instead to offer a fresh start to a player who, not so long ago, was being left out of Motta’s pre-season plans with a summer departure seemingly only a matter of time.
Celtic and Nottingham Forest miss out on striker
“We made a wonderful transfer window,” former Inter and Barcelona midfielder Motta smiles. “Because we got what we wanted we wanted with our possibilities.
“Today, we have Joshua (Zirkzee) in front, we have Sydney and Musa Barrow. Now that the transfer market is over, we have to sort out all these situations.
“We have him (Barrow) and Van Hooijdonk, who will have to do their job with great personality and professionalism.”
The return to fitness of Oh Hyeon-Gyu ahead of schedule at least offsets Celtic’s failure to bring in another centre-forward during the close of the summer window. Oh came off the bench during Sunday’s scrappy 1-0 Old Firm derby win at Rangers; Kyogo Furuhashi scoring the only goal of the game with an emphatic finish from the edge of the penalty area.
Albian Ajeti, meanwhile, could still leave Parkhead this month. Ajeti was spotted at Istanbul Airport on Friday, and remains likely to end up at Super Lig outfit Gazientep with the Turkish window open until mid-September.
