Lorenzo Lucca Transfer Stance Revealed As Nottingham Forest Make Mathias Olivera Bid
Napoli duo Lorenzo Lucca and Mathias Olivera are both wanted by Nottingham Forest in England.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Updated on 20 January 2026
Premier League side Nottingham Forest are trying to strike a double transfer with Napoli in January.
Italian reports say Forest already have an agreement in place with Napoli for Lorenzo Lucca, based on a paid loan and a future purchase option.
The proposed numbers are around €1m for the loan, with an option to buy worth about €35m. In addition, Forest would cover his wages.
However, the move is not yet over the line. This is because Lucca is still weighing up whether he wants to leave Italy mid-season.
Nottingham Forest transfer blow as Lorenzo Lucca prefers Italy stay
Lorenzo Lucca would prefer to stay in Italy if possible, according to Tuttomercatoweb.
This is even though Nottingham Forest have offered the strongest package so far.
Pisa, one of Lucca’s former clubs, are reportedly keen on bringing him back. However, their proposal would be a straight loan.
Lucca has also been linked with other destinations, including Benfica and Saudi Arabia, as he looks for his next destination.
Forest are looking for more firepower as they strive to create a cushion between themselves and the Premier League’s bottom three.
Lucca is a tall, physical forward who can attack crosses and give defenders a different problem, making him appealing for Forest.
Napoli, meanwhile, are open to a temporary exit because they need room in the squad and funds to reshape parts of their team.
That is why negotiations have advanced quickly club-side, even if the player’s decision is still pending.
Italian transfer expert Matteo Moretto has reported that Forest should know where they stand on Tuesday.
Il Nottingham Forest é in attesa di una risposta definitiva da parte di Lorenzo Lucca. Le prossime ore saranno decisive. https://t.co/LwT2KefGrX
— Matteo Moretto (@MatteMoretto) January 20, 2026
Mathias Olivera now in transfer frame for Nottingham Forest
While talks over Lucca continue, Forest are also reported to have targeted Napoli left-back Mathias Olivera.
TMW say Forest have offered €15m for Olivera, but Napoli rejected it and are holding out for around €22m.
Olivera was a regular started in Napoli’s title-winning 2024/25 campaign, but his game time has dwindled.
With Napoli keen on selling players before reinvesting in new signings, Olivera is up for grabs.
However, the Partenopei don’t seem desperate to sell him, so they can hold out for the right price.
As for Forest, they should soon get a definitive answer from Lucca’s camp, which could affect their stance on Olivera.
Elsewhere, Napoli want Youssef En-Nesyri, who helped Morocco to the Africa Cup of Nations final.
However, Juventus are eyeing En-Nesyri too, so there’s a lot of work for the south Italians to do.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte is a sports journalist with over a decade of professional experience in the industry. His main professional expertise is in soccer. Prior to joining FootItalia, he worked for the likes of Sports Mole, TBR Football, the Chelsea Chronicle and numerous other sites, along with having bylines in the likes of the Nottingham Post. He holds degrees in Journalism and International Relations.
Our unbiased editorial policy
Despite ongoing collaborations with commercial affiliates, the details, information, and reviews we provide remain honest and unbiased. We keep this in check by implementing a stringent editorial policy.
Our policy implements strict editorial standards, ensuring the integrity and trustworthiness of our articles, news, and reviews. Only the highest-quality content reaches our pages. We achieve this through conducting thorough research on each topic, conveyed to you using unbiased reporting, to ensure we earn your trust and keep it.
