Nottingham Forest Pursue Gjivairo Read with €17.5m Bid
Nottingham Forest have made their move for Feyenoord full-back Gjivairo Read, only to be knocked back with their opening offer.
The Premier League club tabled a €17.5m (£14.9m) bid for the 20-year-old, an approach confirmed by Fabrizio Romano, but Feyenoord rejected the proposal and are holding out for more.
Forest test Feyenoord’s resolve
Forest’s first bid underlines how highly Read is now regarded across Europe. At 20, with 54 senior appearances already for Feyenoord, he has moved quickly from promising academy talent to a serious asset in one of the continent’s most productive talent factories.
Romano reported that Forest are expected to come back with an improved offer. They know the door is not closed, only that the price needs to rise.
That price point is already being sketched out. Voetbal International journalist Martijn Krabbendam, via Sport Witness, has indicated that a bid in the region of €25m (£21.3m) would bring Feyenoord to the negotiating table in earnest. At that level, the Dutch club would be ready to engage with any serious suitor.
Liverpool watching, not acting
Read is not just on Forest’s radar. The full-back is also admired at Liverpool, where the right-back position sits under a harsh spotlight.
With the Reds juggling concerns over that side of their defence, the size of Forest’s bid raises an obvious question: why are Liverpool not involved at this price point?
The situation at Anfield is nuanced. Andoni Iraola is about to get his first live look at Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong in pre-season, which begins around July 13. He may want to assess that pairing up close before pushing for another right-back, or he may already feel the role is covered between the Northern Irishman and the Dutchman.
On paper, that sounds reasonable. On the pitch, durability changes the equation. Both players carry fitness concerns, and Liverpool risk heading into a long, demanding campaign with what feels like two incomplete solutions for one crucial position.
Market moving while Liverpool hesitate
Options are already slipping away. Brentford’s Michael Kayode, once viewed as a possible candidate, has committed his future on a long-term contract, removing one potential avenue.
Read, for his part, does not come with a spotless medical history. His 2025/26 season included a hamstring issue, but that kind of setback at 19 is hardly unusual, particularly for a developing athlete asked to cover the full length of the pitch. The broader picture is more compelling: a 20-year-old with over 50 senior games at a top Dutch club, already trusted at a high level.
That is why Forest have moved. That is why Feyenoord can hold firm. And that is why the suggested €25m fee looks less like a gamble and more like an opportunity in a market where elite full-backs routinely command far higher sums.
A race big clubs are monitoring
Read’s rise has not gone unnoticed by Europe’s heavyweights. He has already been linked with Manchester City and Bayern Munich, clubs that rarely waste time on players they do not believe can grow into Champions League level.
Forest are trying to get ahead of that curve. They have tested Feyenoord’s resolve and are expected to return. The next bid will tell everyone how serious they are.
For Liverpool, the stakes are different but no less sharp. With finances to manage and several areas of the squad needing attention, missing out on a relatively affordable, high-upside right-back would invite scrutiny, especially if Read continues his upward trajectory elsewhere.
Everyone around the player seems convinced about his potential. The question now is simple: will Nottingham Forest turn that conviction into a deal before a bigger shark enters the water?
