Lewis Coyle of Hull City following the Sky Bet Championship match between Hull City and Bristol City at the MKM Stadium, Hull Picture by Matt Wilkinson/Focus Images Ltd 07814 960751 10/08/2024
Watford and Sheffield Wednesday target wants to leave Nottingham Forest.
Watford and Sheffield Wednesday transfer target Emmanuel Dennis wants to leave Nottingham Forest, and has already had talks with both the Hornets and French Ligue 1 outfit Toulouse.
That’s according to a report by BBC Sport’s Nizaar Kinsella, who also reveals that Forest will need to seek a compromise with any interested party over the 27-year-old’s £60,000 per week wages.
The Champions League challengers acquired the striker’s services in a deal worth £20m during the summer of 2022 and he has gone on to make just 25 appearances for the club, scoring two goals.
Last season, Dennis had loan spells with both Istanbul Basaksehir and Watford, amid a lack of game time for Forest, while this term he has not made a single appearance for Nuno Espirito Santo’s high-flyers.
Watford and Sheffield Wednesday target Dennis wants to leave Forest
emmanuel dennis
The fact that the Nigeria international wants to leave Forest could spell good news for both the Hornets and the Owls, amid their respective battles for a Championship play-off spot.
As per Kinsella’s post, the Hornets have already held talks with their former player, while the Sheffield Star reported that the Owls are also considering a move for Dennis.
During his loan spell with Watford last season, Dennis scored four goals in 17 Championship appearances, so if Tom Cleverley’s men agreed fresh terms with Forest for the frontman, he could help fire them towards a top-six place, especially if he slightly bettered last term’s figures.
Emmanuel Dennis 2023/24 Championship stats
Appearances
17
Starts
11
Goals
4
Assists
0
Meanwhile, the Owls are heavily reliant upon the goalscoring efforts of Josh Windass and could do with the addition of an out-and-out forward to help complement the Englishman, due to the fact that striker Ike Ugbo has failed to score in the second tier this term.
Dennis’ wages present a stumbling block for both Watford and Wednesday
emmanuel dennis
As alluded to by Kinsella’s report, both the Hornets and the Owls would have to come to a compromise with Forest regarding the striker’s hefty wages.
Having to undergo such negotiations with the Premier League club on transfer deadline day presents a clear stumbling block for the Championship duo, who are both keen on adding firepower to their ranks amid the battle for a top-six spot, but would not be willing to cover a weekly outlay of £60,000 in its entirety.
However, while Dennis himself is keen on a Forest exit, Espirito Santo and co could be willing to facilitate his departure, while the striker is currently struggling to break into a team who are chasing Champions League football, largely thanks to the increasingly impressive attacking exploits of fellow forward Chris Wood.
