Nigeria international and Nottingham Forest defender, Ola Aina, is reportedly open to renewing his contract at the City Ground despite strong interest from Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester City.
According to TEAMtalk, Nottingham Forest have received a major boost in their efforts to retain Aina, as the 28-year-old is willing to extend his stay beyond the current season. The former Chelsea academy player joined Forest from Torino in the summer of 2023 for €3.5 million, and his contract expires at the end of the season.
Aina has been a standout performer for Nuno Espírito Santo’s side this season, playing a crucial role in their push for UEFA Champions League qualification. The Nigerian defender has featured in 29 Premier League games, scoring two goals and providing one assist while making key defensive contributions.
According to WhoScored, Aina has established himself as the best ball-winner in defensive areas across Europe’s top five leagues this season. He has also made more goal-line clearances (three) than any other Premier League player, a statistic he shares with Newcastle’s Lewis Hall, Aston Villa’s Eric Konsa, and Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye.
His three crucial clearances have directly earned Forest five additional points—preventing defeats against Liverpool, Ipswich, and Southampton. Without those interventions, Forest would be outside the top-four race.
Thanks to his stellar performances, Aina’s market value has soared to €20 million, attracting renewed interest from Chelsea, who previously sold him to Torino for €10 million in 2019. The defender had also spent a loan spell at Fulham before making a permanent move to the Serie A side, later securing a switch to Nottingham Forest in 2023.
With Forest keen to secure his services for the long term, fans will be eager to see if Aina commits his future to the club or considers a high-profile move elsewhere.
