Nottingham Forest have reached an agreement to sign free agent Djibril Sidibe, according to reports.

The Lowdown: On the market

The Frenchman is now available for transfer following the expiration of his contract at AS Monaco, and it appears he hasn’t been short of any potential suitors.

Reports over the summer have suggested that the 30-year-old has been approached by multiple unnamed Premier League clubs enquiring about his availability.

The right-back will already be used to playing in England having had a loan spell with Everton during the 2019/20 season, and it seems as if a return to the UK is now imminent.

The Latest: Forest agree Sidibe deal

According to Foot Mercato (via Sport Witness), it’s claimed that Forest have reached a ‘total agreement’ to sign Sidibe on a one-year deal, with the option for a further year.

It’s stated that whilst the move isn’t completed yet as a result of Evangelos Marinakis still needing to iron out ‘certain details’, the two parties are in ‘advanced negotiations’.

The source report that the Reds are also ‘studying other avenues’ alongside Sidibe, with Serge Aurier also having ‘received an offer’ from the City Ground.

The Verdict: Perfect for Cooper

Forest have already signed Neco Williams and Giulian Biancone so it’s likely that any new arrival in that position would only be a second or third choice option, but Sidibe would be a much better fit than Aurier.

The full-back, dubbed ‘defensively solid’ by sports journalist Josh Bunting, is a FIFA World Cup winner having been part of France’s 2018 squad, so would bring a wealth of experience to the Midlands.

He is also capable of playing down the left flank, offering more versatility than someone like Aurier, and so for Forest to snap him up for free could end up being an absolute bargain.