Vitor Pereira locked in agent ploy amid Nottingham Forest 'chaos'
The links between Nottingham Forest manager Vitor Pereira and a move to Al-Hilal are likely to have come through his agent.
That is according to former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that the Portuguese boss is trying to put pressure on owner Evangelos Marinakis to give him a new contract.
The 57-year-old is about to enter the final 12 months of his deal at the City Ground, but recent reports have suggested that a new deal won't be on the table until next season has begun.
Wyness does not believe that spells trouble for his future at Forest, and instead feels the Al-Hilal links are a plot to force Marinakis' hand.
Pereira oversaw an upturn in form that steered the Reds safely clear of the relegation battle last term, and is looking to kick on further in 2025-26.
He remains committed to the project in the East Midlands, but is looking for assurances from the club that he is still seen as the right man moving forward.
Vitor Pereira responds to contract talks slowing down
Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that the Al-Hilal links have come in response to talks over a new deal for Pereira stalling.
He made it clear that Marinakis has no reason to make another change in the dugout, and emphasised that Forest need stability in order to progress.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider's Inside Track podcast, Wyness outlined that Pereira is still the right man for Forest.
"I think this whole situation smacks of Pereira's agent floating a story in the press, knowing that the contract negotiations have slowed down, and he's saying right okay let's speed it up," he said.
"I think Marinakis should want a settled club and a settled ship next season compared to this season. He must look in the mirror and realise that the season before, when things were pretty quiet, they did okay. And in 2025-26, it was chaos.
"He should want to get that tied down as soon as possible. He seems to have got on well with Pereira. He finished well for him last season and had the team playing very well at the end.
"I think that this is just an agent story out there. The usual media link to get some pressure on the owner to try to commit to a contract, and I expect it'll get done."
Nottingham Forest at risk of losing top young talent
Football Insider revealed on Thursday that Scottish Premiership side Falkirk have made an offer to sign young Forest striker Joe Gardner on a permanent deal.
The 21-year-old has enjoyed loan spells with Mansfield Town and Lincoln City in recent years, and is tipped to have a big future ahead of him.
There are potential loan suitors in League One and League Two, but Falkirk have now come to the fore with a formal bid for a permanent deal.
It remains to be seen how Forest will react to the latest interest in Gardner, and they could be about to wave goodbye to a promising talent.