Aston Villa star denied transfer to West Brom or Nottingham Forest after £4m bid
Unai Emery stepped in to stop an Aston Villa player leaving for either West Brom or Nottingham Forest.
Lamare Bogarde was the subject of serious interest from both Albion and Forest across the previous two transfer windows but Emery decided to halt any movement.
Becoming a more regular fixture for Villa having impressed in various cameos and occasional starts, Bogarde has forced his way into Emery’s plans across all competitions. Capable of playing at right-back, centre-back or defensive midfield, the Dutchman has been a practical utility option when the likes of Matty Cash and Diego Carlos have been unavailable.
The Athletic reports West Brom wanted to sign Bogarde in loan in January and were awaiting the final green light from Villa, but Emery pulled the plug on the deal due to the player’s versatility. Then, in the summer, Forest tabled a tempting £4 million bid but Villa once again rejected any advances, instead offering the defender a new contract.
Bogarde agreed terms on a long-term deal, putting pen to paper to kill any chance of a departure. Forest went on to sign David Carmo from Porto instead, while West Brom brought in Torbjorn Heggem, Mason Holgate and Paddy McNair to bolster their defensive ranks.
