Nottingham Forest are in advanced discussions with defender Ola Aina over a contract extension.
The 28-year-old is expected to secure a significant pay rise as part of the prospective deal, which will reflect the impact the Nigeria international has made since joining the club in July 2023.
Aina signed as a free agent after his contract expired at Torino and there were concerns that the full-back would find himself open to negotiate with overseas clubs in January, with his current deal set to expire next summer.
But the London born player — who began his career at Chelsea and has had loan spells at Hull and Fulham — feels at home at the City Ground, where he has established himself as a key figure. Several weeks of negotiations are now close to a positive conclusion.
The versatile Aina spent much of last season playing at left-back but has more regularly operated at right-back during the current campaign, as part of a settled back four that also includes Alex Moreno on the opposite flank and the highly regarded duo of Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo in the centre.
While they have conceded six goals in their last two games, Forest had previously started the season with one of the most impressive defensive records in the Premier League.
Aina has made 32 Premier League starts and two sub appearances, scoring two goals for Forest.
His rampaging runs down the flanks have made him a popular figure with supporters, with his pace and directness having become a potent asset within Forest’s counter-attacking style.
There was interest in Aina from other clubs last summer, when Forest activated the option they had to extend the initial one-year deal he signed, by a further year.
And he would not have been short of suitors had he become a free agent again, but that prospect seems to have been fended off, with his future close to being secured at the City Ground.
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