Nottingham Forest’s Jair Cunha decision looks increasingly smart after Brazil breakthrough

Nottingham Forest may be increasingly satisfied with their decision to sign Jair Cunha after Brazilian football expert Sabatino Durante compared him favourably with Fiorentina defender Viery.

Forest were among the clubs interested in Viery during the summer transfer window but ultimately went in another direction.

Fiorentina paid €18m for the 21-year-old, while Forest secured Cunha for €12m. The early evidence has prompted suggestions that the Premier League club got the better deal.

Viery has started three games since arriving at Fiorentina but was substituted at half-time in the recent meeting with Napoli.

Speaking to Radio FirenzeViola, Durante argued the Brazilian still has plenty of development ahead of him.

“Viery is a second choice, a young man who hasn’t been touched by holy water,” he said.

Durante then directly compared his progress with Cunha.

“In that position there are other players like Jair Cunha, also born in 2005, sold for €12m to Nottingham Forest and who yesterday made his debut as a starter for Brazil.”

He also questioned whether Fiorentina were right to spend €18m on Viery at this stage of his development.

Durante has not written off Fiorentina’s investment.

He believes Viery possesses significant potential but needs time to improve the defensive side of his game and adjust to the tactical demands placed on defenders in Italy.

“They’ve signed a boy with quality who maybe will find his niche in a year’s time, but who now needs time to learn the defensive phase in Italy,” Durante explained.

“He has quality.”

That makes this less a definitive judgement on Viery and more an argument that Cunha is currently further along in his development.

Cunha has started four Premier League matches for Nottingham Forest and his progress has also been recognised internationally.

Carlo Ancelotti handed the defender a Brazil call-up, and he now has two senior appearances for his country.

That represents significant progress for a 21-year-old who cost Forest less than Fiorentina paid for Viery.

There is plenty of time for both Brazilian defenders to develop, so any definitive judgement on the two transfers would be premature.

For now, though, Cunha’s Premier League involvement and rapid progress into Brazil’s senior team make Forest’s €12m investment look particularly encouraging.

Cunha will look to build on his encouraging start and establish himself permanently in Nottingham Forest’s defence.

Viery, meanwhile, will be given time to adapt at Fiorentina. A longer period will be needed before the two transfers can be judged conclusively, but Forest currently have plenty of reason to be pleased with the route they took.