Nottingham Forest target Roman Saiss could add some much-needed leadership to the club's defence as they prepare for their second season back in the Premier League.
The latest Nottingham Forest transfer news – Roman Saiss identified
After a wild transfer window last summer, it seems the Midlands outfit aren't afraid to splash the cash again, with the club linked to a number of different players already.
With several key figures leaving the club, such as Keylor Navas, who will return to PSG following his loan spell, and Jack Colback, who hasn't been offered a new contract,
Steve Cooper's side have plenty of recruitment to do to replace the outgoing talent.
One name the side have been linked with is free agent Aaron Martin who could be a strong successor for Renan Lodi who has returned to Atletico Madrid.
The Spaniard isn't the only defender the club is interested in, though, with Forest identifying former Wolverhampton Wanderers man Saiss as a strong addition to their backline, according to reports in Turkey.
What would Roman Saiss bring to Nottingham Forest?
If Forest were to land Saiss, the club would secure a strong leader who would be vital in the side's bid to avoid relegation this season.
The defender has been hailed as "Maldini from Morocco" by his former manager Bruno Lage due to his incredible leadership at the heart of a team's defence, and it's an attribute Cooper's side would benefit tremendously from.
That ability to come up with the goods when his team needed it the most would be crucial for Forest if they're to stay up this year.
Not only would his Maldini-like leadership benefit Forest, but the former Wolverhampton Wanderers titan's defensive ability would be a huge upgrade on the defenders currently at the club.
In a back line that struggled to stay fit, only Joe Worrall played as often as Saiss, who stands at 6 foot 3 in stature, last season.
It's been said that availability is the best ability, so adding the 33-year-old "leader" – as also lauded by Lage -, who has played at least 25 league games for four straight years, could bring a level of stability to a defence that was repeatedly chopping and changing last year, struggling to gain any level of consistency.
Furthermore, only Serge Aurier played as often as Saiss did last season, and had a better average WhoScored rating, with the £5.8m-rated Besiktas defender's rating of 6.83 dwarfing the rest of Forest's defenders.
Defence was a big issue for Cooper's team last season, but adding a leader like Saiss who has consistently stayed injury free in recent years could be a huge boost to the side and go a long way to helping their bid to avoid relegation next year.
