Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur have now received a major boost in their race to sign a Serie A midfielder ahead of AC Milan this summer.

Nottingham Forest and Tottenham battling to sign midfielder

Two sides that narrowly escaped the clutches of relegation last season, it's no surprise that Nottingham Forest and Tottenham are competing so closely in the transfer window this summer.

Forest will be keen to return to the heights of the 24/25 campaign, when they qualified for the Europa League. They were handed a harsh reality check last season, leading to three managerial changes before Evangelos Marinakis put his full trust in Vitor Pereira.

The Tricky Trees are likely to be as busy as ever in the transfer market as they look to rebuild. It's sparked rumours that they could welcome the likes of Said El Mala, hijacking Brentford's move in the process.

As for Spurs, they've already stolen the headlines more than once this summer, welcoming Andy Robertson and agreeing a deal to sign Marcos Senesi, who left Bournemouth as a free agent at the end of the season. The Lilywhites aren't done there, though. They're now in the race to get one over on Forest and welcome a midfield star.

According to Tuttomercatoweb, as relayed by Sport Witness, Atalanta are now ready to sell Raoul Bellanova to Tottenham or Nottingham Forest instead of AC Milan this summer.

The right-midfielder has struggled with injury over the last 12 months, and the Serie A side have green-lit a €20m (£17m) as a result - a price that Milan may not pay. It hands the two Premier League sides an opportunity to swoop in and land what should be a routine deal in the coming months.

£17m Bellanova should choose Forest over Tottenham

Now that Atalanta are ready to sell, the ball is in Bellanova's court. He must decide whether to push for a Serie A stay or take a chance on the Premier League. If he chooses the latter, then Nottingham Forest should be his top choice.

The Tricky Trees have been crying out for quality from wide since the departure of Anthony Elanga and are no strangers to Serie A talent. The chance to step up is there for whoever arrives, including Bellanova.

After a tough year in Italy, in which he managed just 15 league starts, the versatile right-midfielder should join up with Pereira at the City Ground.

It's also worth noting that at full fitness in the 2024/25 campaign, Bellanova managed 11 assists in all competitions. It's clear that he has the quality, even if Atalanta believe that's disappeared through injury in the last 12 months. For £17m, Forest should take a gamble.

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