Was David de Gea close to Premier League return? Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo plays down goalkeeper links in January window

Recently The Athletic reported that Nottingham Forest were keen on signing David de Gea on a free transfer in the January transfer window but the former Manchester United goalkeeper turned down the offer. Now manager Nuno Espirito Santo has responded to the speculation and shared his view on the club's goalkeeping situation.

Speaking to SportsBoom.com, the Portuguese coach said, "He’s [Matz] a good, experienced goalkeeper. He was playing regularly for his club, so it made sense to sign him and give us another option among our goalkeepers. It’s not about choices and whether he was first choice or not. Matz is here because he’s a good goalkeeper. He’s been here [in England] before.

"A thousand names came out for goalkeepers that we were linked with and a lot of them were not true. He’s a complete goalkeeper. At this stage of his career, he’s completed all of the technical aspects, in terms of distribution and a shot-stopper. He has everything to become what we need from a goalkeeper. What we need from a goalkeeper is to give us confidence. This is what we expect for him to become a good option for us."

The Premier League side eventually signed Belgian goalkeeper Matz Sels from Strasbourg on transfer deadline day. The decision to add the goalkeeper was made due to the inconsistent performances of Matt Turner and Odysseas Vlachodimos.

Espirito Santo's side, who are currently 16th in the league and two points above the relegation zone, will be next seen in action on Saturday against West Ham in the Premier League.