Givairo Read: Nottingham Forest in advanced talks to sign star who wins 61% of his duels
Nottingham Forest are closing in on a deal to sign highly-rated Feyenoord defender Givairo Read, sources have told Football Insider.
The 20-year-old has been the subject of multiple bids from the Premier League side this summer, and has already provisionally agreed the terms of a five-year contract.
Sources say that Feyenoord want more than the £20million offered in a third bid, but there is an expectation that the move will ultimately go through.
Discussions are said to be at an advanced stage between the two clubs with a full agreement edging closer.
Read is recognised among the most promising young right-backs in the Netherlands, having broke through in the 2024-25 season.
He spent much of the last campaign out with a hamstring injury, but returned in April and has had the summer to complete his recovery.
Read is expected to replace Italy-bound Nicolo Savona in the Nottingham Forest squad, and will hope to compete with Ola Aina for playing time.
Givairo Read is 'the new Denzel Dumfries'
Read has caught the eye of clubs across Europe for his ability to impact games from right side of the defence.
The Netherlands youth international frequently overlaps and gets involved with the attack, earning him six assists in his debut campaign.
With that in mind, it is little surprise that Read has earned comparison to Denzel Dumfries, who signed for Real Madrid this summer.
The Dutch right-back left the Netherlands for Inter Milan in 2021, ultimately making over 200 appearances for the Italian giants, scoring 27 goals and providing numerous assists.
The 30-year-old has also been capped 76 times by his nation and has scored 11 goals from right-back.
"Etienne Reijnen, one of the assistant coaches, always calls me the new Denzel Dumfries,” Read said in 2024. “I sure hope he’s right. I’m a fan of Dumfries - he’s a truly top-notch right back."
The pair met in 2025 when Inter faced Feyenoord in the last 16 of the Champions League, with Dumfries' side coming out on top.
"After the game at San Siro, Dumfries and I spoke briefly," Read later said. "He said to me: ‘You have a bright future ahead of you.’ I told my mom and uncle right away. Hearing those kind words from my role model - it was wonderful.”
The stats that explain why Nottingham Forest want Read
Read ultimately made 20 appearances across all competitions last season amid the hamstring injury, and just 16 in Eredivisie.
The right-back still managed to produce strong numbers in those limited minutes, however.
The 20-year-old created 1.05 chances, took 1.53 shots, completed 1.24 successful dribbles and took 4.40 touches in the opposition box per game.
And defensively, Read made 1.82 tackles, 2.11 clearances, 4.21 recoveries and won 4.69 duels per game, with a 61.3 per cent success rate.
The youngster's talent is evidently there, and Nottingham Forest will hope that becomes clear in the Premier League.