Nottingham Forest like Chelsea 21-year-old who wins more tackles than Ismail Jakobs – journalist

Nottingham Forest do want to sign Chelsea defender Ian Maatsen before the transfer window closes next month. This news comes on the back of emerging news that Brennan Johnson is wanted at Stamford Bridge.

According to The Express journalist Ryan Taylor, the Reds are firmly in the mix for the youngster. He won’t be short of suitors during the summer window given his vast potential.

Although Maatsen is only 21, he’s now at the age where he’s comfortable commanding first-team football. Chelsea aren’t short of left-backs and could now be tempted to let him leave the club.

Forest target Maatsen went out on loan last season, romping to a Championship title with Burnley. He made 42 appearances for the Clarets, scoring four goals and registering eight assists.

That’s not the first time he’s headed out on loan either. Maatsen has also spent time with Charlton and Coventry in the EFL, cutting his teeth as a professional and showcasing his class at both clubs

During his time with the Sky Blues, he was praised by goalkeeper Simon Moore. He called him ‘exceptional’ and ‘hugely talented’ following a string of fine performances for the club.

This looks positive. In Maatsen, Forest would get themselves a player who, much like Johnson, is nowhere his peak and could easily improve considerably.

Forest have been linked with a number of left-backs. One of those is Ismail Jakobs from Monaco and a look at last season’s statistics suggests that Forest might be better going for Maatsen instead.

Squawka shows that Maatsen made over double the amount of tackles last season as Jakobs did. Although he was playing in the second tier, the money that Forest would need to spend to get Jakobs probably makes Maatsen a better option.

Maatsen would arrive with the desire to prove himself in the Premier League and furthermore, he could have a point to prove that Chelsea were wrong to let him leave.

Taking everything into consideration, this would likely be a very good deal, if Forest could get Maatsen over the line before the window closes.

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Taiwo Awoniyi, who scored at Arsenal as a substitute after overcoming an ankle problem, may be promoted to the Nottingham Forest starting line-up.

Moussa Niakhate will hope to make his first appearance of the season, while Harry Toffolo is back in training but Felipe and Omar Richards remain out.

Sheffield United may give debuts to new signings Tom Davies and Gustavo Hamer.

Oli McBurnie will be considered after shaking off an ankle problem, but a groin injury may keep fellow striker Daniel Jebbison sidelined.

Wing-backs George Baldock and Max Lowe have been passed fit after both suffered minor issues in the defeat to Crystal Palace.

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• • Nottingham Forest have lost just one of their past 13 home league games against Sheffield United, winning seven and drawing five.
  • This is the first Premier League meeting between the sides since the Blades registered a 2-0 victory at the City Ground in May 1993, a result which confirmed Forest as the first side to be relegated from the competition.
  • Forest are vying to score their 100th top-flight goal against Sheffield United. Stuart Pearce scored their 99th goal in a 5-2 home defeat by the Blades in 1992.

  Nottingham Forest

  • Nottingham Forest could equal a Premier League club record of four successive wins at the City Ground, last matched in January 1996.
  • Forest won a league-high 79% of their Premier League points at home last season.
  • They could lose their opening two top-flight league games for the first time since 1971.
  • Steve Cooper’s side have scored in each of their past eight top-flight fixtures, netting 15 goals in that run.
  • Taiwo Awoniyi has scored seven goals in his past five Premier League games.
  • Awoniyi is the second Forest player to score in five consecutive Premier League appearances after Stan Collymore, who found the net in six successive matches in 1995
  • This is Sheffield United’s 200th Premier League match.
  • The Blades have won their opening away league game in only two of the past 33 seasons, drawing 12 and losing 19.
  • United have lost just one of their last 10 matches on a Friday, winning six and drawing three.
  • Paul Heckingbottom’s side conceded 24 shots against Palace – the joint-most that they have faced in a Premier League game since that data was first recorded in 2003-04.
  • Heckingbottom has won both of his away games as a manager at Forest – a 1-0 victory in the Championship with Barnsley in January 2017, and a 2-1 play-off win with the Blades in May