This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict‘ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Nottingham Forest have joined the race to sign Rabbi Matondo from Schalke this summer.
According to Bild, the 21-year old could even be available for as little as £3.5 million but the Reds face competition from the likes of Leeds United, Celtic and Rangers.
Here we ask our FLW writers their verdict on if the winger would be a good addition to Steve Cooper’s squad…
Ned Holmes
This could be a very clever bit of business from Nottingham Forest.
A fee of around £3.5 million could be a real bargain given the 21-year-old attacker has got real potential.
Rabbi Matondo may not be the finished package just yet but you'd back a coach like Steve Cooper help get the best out of him.
Working under the Welshman should be appealing to Matondo too so I wouldn't be surprised to see him end up at the City Ground.
Forest's first priority needs to be getting their squad Premier League ready but, even so, this is a bargain they shouldn't miss out on.
Billy Mulley
I think this has all the making to be an excellent addition at Nottingham Forest.
Set to be available on a cut-price fee, possessing an incredibly high ceiling, full of confidence after a strong loan spell in Belgium, Forest should look to act sooner rather than later.
Perhaps he is someone that might take a while to adapt in the Premier League, however, the fee being proposed justifies waiting a while and allowing him to settle.
Forest are of course in need of Premier League experience to bolster their chances of surviving the top-tier drop, however they are also in need of youthful talent who can keep Forest on the upwards trajectory they are currently on.
If Forest act slow, then it is more than likely that they will miss out on talented player for a relatively cheap figure.
Simmey Hannifin-Donaldson
This has the potential to be a good signing for Forest and certainly an exciting one.
The winger looked good out on loan in Belgium this past season, scoring nine goals and registering six assists - numbers that would be a welcome addition at Forest ahead of their Premier League return.
It's the first season where we have really seen the true potential of the youngster across an entire campaign, with other glimpses coming in sparse performances throughout his career.
If Forest can get him through the door for a decent fee and unlock his potential, it could turn out to be a fantastic signing in the long term.