Fulham analysed the situation and agreed to negotiate with Forest over Van der Sar. Forest's initial offer of £2 million was rejected by Fulham without even thinking about it, believing that Forest should at least show good faith if they really want to get Van der Sar. So the Forest team raised the offer to 2.5 million again, but this time Fulham hesitated for a while and did not give a timely reply.

While they were hesitating, the Nottingham Evening Post published an interview with Donn, in which he talked about a number of things about the team, including the goalkeeper. He has not denied that the Forest-Fulham talks have been made, but he has not denied that Van der Sar will definitely come. As for the goalkeeper, he did mention Frei in Parma, saying that he admires a goalkeeper like Frei. Thinking about the number of goals conceded by the Forest team now, and looking at Parma's recent poor economic situation, everyone thinks that Tony? Donn has his eye on Frey and wants to bring him to England.

It's not news that the Forest team is now looking for a goalkeeper everywhere like Manchester United is looking for a goalkeeper all over the world, after all, the number of goals conceded by the Forest team in the first half of the season is among the highest, everyone can see it, Darren? Ward can't do it.

After much consideration, Fulham finally agreed to Forest's offer of £2.5 million. Now Donn can talk directly to Van der Sar.

If it had been half a season ago, Forest would have been hardly attractive to Van der Sar, but now it's a different story. Nottingham Forest managed to break into the rematch of the League Cup and sit at the top of the Premier League, except for the defeat to Liverpool, the Forest team that played against the strong team had the upper hand. Showing a quality that doesn't match their status as a promoted horse, Van der Sar is a smart guy and United's promise is yet to come, so there is a ready-made opportunity. Wouldn't it be good that he would want to leave the half-dead Fulham and go to a club at the end of his career?

Now he didn't know that after his move to Manchester United next summer, he also helped Manchester United win a league title and became the most consistent member of the Manchester United team.

The Forest team have promised Van der Sar a constant salary of $40,000 a week, with other bonuses for his performances. The contract lasts for two and a half years, and it will be renewed depending on his status. After all, Van der Sar will be 36 years old in two years, and no one knows how he will perform at that time.

Van der Sar was happy with the contract and he signed his name on it.

Before Christmas, the post-80s Shaolin abbot station and several media reported that Fulham's Dutch goalkeeper Van der Sar signed for the Forest team, and the contract began on January 1, 2005 and ended on June 30, 2007, and the specific salary was not announced.

Donn was delighted that Van der Sar chose the forest in the end. For him, the Dutch veteran is not Forest's plan for the future, but his arrival will ensure a smooth transition for Forest for at least two years, which is enough time for Donn to continue to scout young and talented goalkeepers in the transfer market. And Van der Sar's experience is also what the Forest backline needs most, Hierro is 36 years old after all, and due to age and injuries, he will not play too often.

The goalkeeper is a position that will not be easily changed once it is fixed, and with Van der Sar in charge of the defense at the back, Donn is very relieved.

Tony? Don once again from Alex? Ferguson's men snatched the person he fancied, and the two of them were estimated to be getting bigger and bigger. He snatched the goalkeeper who was supposed to belong to Manchester United, so who will United choose to repeat their glory in the future? Don couldn't think of it either...... In addition, as for Sir Alex Ferguson's expression, after hearing the news that Van der Sar was snatched away by the Forest team ahead of schedule, he also did not know.

It's just that he vaguely feels that between himself and this Premier League godfather-level manager, I am afraid that he will not say anything like "I admire him" in front of the media.

Why? It's not that Ferguson looks down on Donne, it's not that Donn is arrogant. It's because in the future, the two of them will become very competitive opponents with each other.

Before Christmas, a total of 18 rounds of league games were played, and Nottingham Forest were in eighth place with seven wins, six draws, five losses and 27 points, and at their best, they used to be fourth. If it weren't for the back-to-back defeats in recent league games, they would have been able to settle in fifth.

Two consecutive losses to teams in the middle and lower reaches of the strength made Donn feel a pity. Now they have signed Edwin van der Sar in the hope of improving the team's poor goal tally.

December 26 is the 19th round of the league, and Nottingham Forest, who have lost two games in a row, will host second-bottom Southampton in a great opportunity to get out of the current situation.

The day before the game, the team had only been training for half a day, and when Don saw another Christmas tree and gifts piled under the tree in the lobby of Building One, he remembered that Christmas had arrived.

A year has passed in the blink of an eye...... He stood under the tree and watched the players rummage through the gift pile with interest for boxes with their names, and it all felt so familiar, except for a few new people, almost the same as it had been a year ago.

When he saw that Wood hadn't gone to join in the fun, but was walking towards him, he knew what was going on.

"Merry Christmas, George."

"Merry Christmas, sir."

"Is your mom okay?"

"Very well, she asked me to ask you to go to the house for dinner together in the evening." Wood looked around as he said this, and seemed a little embarrassed.

"We?"

"You and that ......" Wood frowned and thought for a moment, then said, "Don, Chinese." ”

Don En scratched his head, he had forgotten that there was still Don...... Is it subconsciously not wanting to have an extra light bulb? It's really hard to explain.

"No problem, you and I should go to the youth team base first when the training is over, I have to call him."

Wood nodded, but instead of turning away, he took a small box from his coat pocket and slipped it into Donn's hand, before turning back to the tree to find his own present.

Don unpacked, and a shiny zippo lighter lay quietly inside. It's not expensive, it's not worth a few dollars. Under the lighter was a small greeting card with crooked writing:

Thank you and Merry Christmas.

Don smiled.

(To be continued)