Nottingham Forest are working on a deal to sign Matty Cash from Aston Villa, five years after the right-back departed from the City Ground.
Cash came through the academy at the City Ground and went on to make 141 appearances for his boyhood club before being sold to Villa for £14m in September 2020. Any potential transfer is at an early stage and Forest are yet to make a formal offer for the 28-year-old Poland international, who has two years to run on his current deal.
Cash started Villa’s opening game of the season against Newcastle but financial restraints could prompt his departure if his valuation is met. Villa have already sold the academy graduate Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle for £39m but, after a slow summer of recruitment and the need to comply with Uefa and Premier League financial rules, they may consider a sale.
Forest have spent more than £140m on new recruits this summer, bringing in Igor Jesus, Dan Ndoye, Omari Hutchinson, James McAtee, Angus Gunn and Arnaud Kalimuendo, and are keen on also signing a right-back before the close of the transfer window having seen a move for Manchester City’s Rico Lewis stall.
Villa have also confirmed the winger Leon Bailey has moved to Roma on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy. The 28-year-old will join the Serie A side who finished fifth in the league last season.
Bailey has made 144 appearances for Villa since he signed from Bayer Leverkusen in 2021. The Jamaica international was a regular starter for Unai Emery’s side over his first couple of seasons with the club but struggled to get game time in the latter half of last season after an injury.
