Feyenoord explain why Givairo Read was kept despite Nottingham Forest offers

Feyenoord technical director Dévy Rigaux has explained why the Dutch club refused to sell Givairo Read despite receiving several approaches from Nottingham Forest during the summer transfer window.

Forest made the first concrete move for the 20-year-old right-back in July and returned with improved offers as they attempted to bring him to the City Ground.

AS Roma subsequently entered the battle and, at one stage, appeared to move ahead of Forest. However, neither club ultimately managed to convince Feyenoord to sanction Read's departure.

Speaking to ESPN NL following the closure of the transfer window, Rigaux revealed that Jordan Bos' serious knee injury significantly influenced Feyenoord's position.

Bos suffered the injury in July and is not expected to return this year, increasing Read's importance to the squad.

“If you then have to sell another key player at the beginning of the window, who has a lot of value on the pitch, I think it was a very strong move on our part to enter into talks with Givairo,” Rigaux said.

“I see that as a signal of strength.”

Read is naturally a right-back but can also operate on the opposite side, making his versatility particularly valuable following Bos' setback.

The Netherlands Under-21 international was aware of the transfer interest throughout the summer and previously admitted he found the battle between Forest and Roma “quite exciting”.

Feyenoord, however, ultimately prioritised retaining an important first-team player over accepting one of the approaches.

After failing to land Read, Nottingham Forest strengthened Oliver Glasner's options at right-back elsewhere.

The Premier League club completed a move for Daniel Muñoz from Crystal Palace towards the end of the window, reuniting the Colombia international with Glasner at the City Ground.

Read, meanwhile, remains with Feyenoord and can now concentrate on continuing his development in the Eredivisie after months of speculation surrounding his future.

Read will remain an important part of Feyenoord's plans, particularly while Bos continues his recovery from a serious knee injury.

Forest have moved on with Muñoz, but Read's growing reputation and the level of interest generated this summer suggest his future could become a major talking point again in a later transfer window.