After two seasons in Alsace, Dilane Bakwa (23) has left Strasbourg for Premier League side Nottingham Forest, the club confirmed on Monday evening.

Bakwa joined Strasbourg from Bordeaux in the summer of 2023 for €10m and quickly became a key figure in Liam Rosenior’s side. His dynamism and consistency on the right flank were central to Le Racing’s surprise 7th-place finish last season, which secured a spot in the Europa Conference League play-off round.

Under contract until 2027, Bakwa had been handed a gentleman’s agreement by the Strasbourg hierarchy allowing him to leave for the right offer. Italian side Como had reached an agreement with the winger earlier in the summer, but the Créteil-born player held out for a move to a club competing in Europe.

Strasbourg’s owners, BlueCo, proved tough negotiators during talks with Forest. Evangelos Marinakis’ club saw three successive offers — €28m, €31m, and €35m including bonuses — turned down before finally striking a deal at €40m.