Ajax have reportedly knocked back a bid for striker Chuba Akpom from Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest.
The 28-year-old earned a marquee move to the Amsterdam giants on the back of a scintillating 2022-23 Championship season with Middlesbrough, in which he topped the scoring charts with 28 strikes.
Akpom has registered a respectable nine goals in 20 matches for Ajax since arriving in the Netherlands, where he is under contract until 2028, but he has made the starting XI on just three occasions in the Eredivisie.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Forest approached Ajax with an offer to sign Akpom on loan with an option to buy for €16m (£13.7m), which would become an obligation if the Tricky Trees stayed in the Premier League.
The former Arsenal attacker was said to have been keen on the switch to the City Ground, but Ajax turned down Forest's proposal, and the Dutch side's counter-offer has also been deemed unacceptable by the Reds.
Unless there are significant developments in the coming hours, Akpom will remain in Amsterdam for the remainder of the campaign, although Nottingham Forest have already captured Rodrigo Ribeiro on loan from Sporting Lisbon.
At the other end of the field, the Tricky Trees are also working to complete a deal for Strasbourg goalkeeper Matz Sels, who will cost Nuno Espirito Santo's side up to £6m.
Ben Knapton
