Why Nottingham Forest must quickly snap up Bakary Sako
Championship outfit Nottingham Forest are interested in signing Bakary Sako, according to Nottinghamshire Live.
Sako, 30, is a free agent after leaving Crystal Palace at the end of last season. He couldn’t agree on a new contract at Selhurst Park and was allowed to leave for free by Roy Hodgson this summer.
Now that the former Crystal Palace attacker is available for free, Nottingham Forest must quickly wrap up a deal for him.
Forest have not had the best of starts in the Championship this season, managing just one win in seven games. Despite making 16 signings in the summer, Aitor Karanka’s team have failed to hit the ground running and are placed 15th on the table.
It appears as if Forest need a player who can come in and make an immediate impact. The new signings have failed to produce the desired results and Karanka still needs to address a couple of areas in the team that remain particularly light.
The Spanish manager must sign another attacking player to add cover and quality to his squad and he should not pass up the opportunity to sign Sako.
Sako struggled with injuries for the large majority of his time at Palace but he returned to full fitness and form last season as he scored six goals under Roy Hodgson. Sidelined by an ankle injury last season, the Malian still managed to score six goals in 19 appearances across all competitions.
The 30-year-old made a name for himself at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Championship before moving to Palace in the Premier League. A proven Championship customer, signing Sako would represent a low-risk investment.
Sako is blessed with explosive pace and power and he would certainly bolster Forest’s attacking ranks. The Malian forward is capable of playing anywhere across the front line and his brute force and dribbling abilities can cause problems to any defence in the Championship.
Due to his physicality, he is always a handful for the defenders and Karanka will finally get a target man who can hold the ball well and bring his teammates into the attack.
Sako is a powerful and swift winger but he could also be used by Karanka as a secondary striker or a lone man up front. He is also a good dribbler and is capable of scoring scorchers as well. The 30-year-old would be a fantastic signing to add depth and pedigree to Karanka’s squad.
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There is little doubt that Sako would be a good addition for any team in the Championship. Forest must quickly snap him up before any other team makes a move.