English Media Warn Nottingham Forest Against Signing Israeli Winger Anan Khalaily

English sports outlet Football Insider has cautioned Nottingham Forest that signing Israeli winger Anan Khalaily could be a significant mistake. According to a report in The Athletic on Tuesday, Nottingham Forest submitted an official offer to Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise for Khalaily, but the proposal was rejected. Earlier this summer, Union Saint-Gilloise had agreed to sell Khalaily to Inter Milan for around 30 million euros, but the transfer collapsed due to Khalaily failing the stringent medical examinations in Italy.

Forest's coach Oliver Glasner has been seeking to strengthen the right wing position for several weeks, initially targeting Gyrano Kerk from Feyenoord before shifting focus to Khalaily. However, Football Insider suggests Forest should reconsider and return to pursuing the Dutch player instead. They argue that despite Khalaily's evident talent in the Belgian league, it is difficult to accurately assess his potential based solely on his performances there.

The report highlights that several players moving from the Belgian league to the English Premier League have struggled to adapt, citing Tolu Arokodare as an example. Arokodare was the Belgian league's top scorer in the 2024/25 season with 21 goals for Genk but managed only three goals in 33 Premier League appearances for Wolves, who were relegated. Conversely, the Dutch league is regarded as a more reliable platform for developing talent capable of succeeding at higher levels. Since Khalaily and Kerk are valued similarly, the recommendation is for Nottingham Forest to continue efforts to sign Feyenoord's Kerk instead of Khalaily.