Newcastle United And Nottingham Forest Track Star Left Hurt By Failed PL Move | OneFootball

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Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest are ‘closely following’ Rayo Vallecano star Andrei Ratiu, who was left hurt and disappointed when a move to the Premier League did not happen last summer.

The 28-year-old has grown into a pillar on the right side of Rayo Vallecano’s backline, shining brightly for the club in La Liga and Europe.

Last season only reinforced that standing, with the Romanian racking up 3,866 minutes across 50 appearances while also chipping in with five goal involvements.

His performances had already placed him firmly on the radar in England last year, with Tottenham Hotspur heavily linked.

A bid from the Premier League did come in for him and it was substantial at €18m, but Rayo Vallecano rejected it, which was suggested to have left Ratiu both hurt and disappointed.

Ratiu was later handed a fresh contract in November, extending his stay until 2030.

The La Liga outfit are also believed to have coupled that renewal with a €25m release clause.

Now another Premier League opportunity could present itself this summer, with Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest ‘closely following’ Ratiu as a possible avenue, according to Italian journalist Matteo Moretto.

Whether either club chooses to translate that admiration into concrete action remains to be seen, though his release clause means any deal could gather momentum in little time should they make their move.

There have also been suggestions Barcelona explored the right-back earlier in the window, though whether that admiration still carries weight is yet to emerge.

The Magpies have a vacancy to address at right-back following Kieran Trippier’s departure to Wolves.

But Newcastle have devoted much of their attention recently to securing Aladji Bamba from Monaco, and with that deal now wrapped up, their focus could now pivot towards targets such as Ratiu.

Meanwhile, the Tricky Trees are also keeping tabs on Raul Bellanova as another right-back option, with fellow Premier League clubs Everton and Fulham also in the mix.

Among Nottingham Forest’s current right-back options, Nicolo Savona could move on this summer after attracting interest from Atalanta, although those developments have yet to gather any real traction.

Whether the two Premier League clubs ultimately find themselves crossing paths over Ratiu’s signature remains to be seen as the summer window unfolds.