Exclusive: Willy Boly Weighing Up Saudi Move as Nottingham Forest Exit Looms

Willy Boly is weighing up his options ahead of his Nottingham Forest release this summer, according to SportsBoom sources.

The central defender joined the club from Wolverhampton Wanderers when Forest got promoted in the summer of 2022.

And the Ivory Coast international helped the club survive two relegation battles to keep themselves in the Premier League.

But after signing a one-year contract extension at the end of last season, Boly has been limited to just one league start this term and has fallen down the pecking order at the City Ground as Forest has risen into the Champions League places.

Talks over another contract extension stalled earlier this season with Boly rarely featuring in Nuno Espirito Santos’s plans.

A number of Championship clubs were keen to sign Boly in the winter transfer window. Millwall and Hull City were both linked with making a move for the experienced defender. 

And both are expected to revive their interest in the player, who will be leaving Forest at the end of the season. 

SAUDI SWITCH?

However, it is understood Boly would need to lower the £46,000-a-week he is currently on. 

Al-Riyadh are interested in luring the former Wolves man to Saudi Arabia to see out his playing days in the league alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. 

Born in France, Boly started his professional career at Auxerre before moving to Portugal where he enjoyed great success.

Firstly of Braga, where he won the Taca de Portugal, he then moved to Porto before going on loan to then Championship Wolves in the 2017-18 campaign to be reunited with former boss Nuno. 

After helping the club get promoted to the Premier League, he penned a permanent deal in the Midlands and made 89 top flight starts for the club before moving to Forest in 2022.