Man U and Liverpool join other clubs in scouting Aina as Forest face the threat of relegation

SEVERAL English Premier League clubs have begun scouting Super Eagles fullback Ola Aina amid concerns that his club Nottingham Forest might get relegated to the Championship at the end of the season.

Currently sitting 17th in the 20-team Premier League table, Forest are facing a real threat of being relegated to the second tied of English football at the end of the season. If this happens, the club will be forced to sell a lot of its big names and superstars, with Aina undoubtedly going to become one of those sold.

Yesterday, scouts from Manchester United, Liverpool and Ipswich Town were in the stadium as Aina helped Forest secure a win over Danish side FC Midtjylland to advance to the quarterfinals of the Uefa Europa League. According to Danish outlet Bold.dk, the scouts were present at the MCH Arena to monitor potential transfer targets ahead of the summer window.

Also, the English clubs were joined by representatives from several European sides including Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Monaco. Aina, who has been a key figure for Forest since arriving from Torino in the summer of 2023, started the match on the bench but was introduced in the second half.

He replaced French winger Dilane Bakwa with about 14 minutes remaining in regulation time and quickly made his presence felt. Shortly after coming on, Aina nearly found the back of the net when he latched onto a pass from Morgan Gibbs-White but his effort sailed narrowly over the crossbar.

As the match wore on, Aina continued to influence the game and thought he had provided the decisive assist at the start of extra time when he set up Italian striker Lorenzo Lucca, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. Despite the setback, Forest held firm as the encounter ended 2–2 on aggregate before the Premier League side triumphed 3–0 in the penalty shootout to seal qualification for the quarterfinals.

Aina's latest cameo performance could nevertheless intensify interest from several top clubs as the transfer window approaches. However,  Forest remain in a strong position regarding the defender’s future, as Aina is under contract with the club until the summer of 2028.