Nottingham Forest have been credited with interest in a move for Forest Green Rovers’ Kane Wilson recently, but how does he compare to current star Djed Spence?
Nottingham Forest have been linked with a summer swoop for Wilson after his impressive campaign in League Two.
His performances have helped Rob Edwards’ side win promotion up to League One with games to spare, but Forest Green Rovers could have a battle on their hands to keep the former West Brom youngster amid interest from elsewhere.
Steve Cooper is preparing for life after loan star Spence ahead of this summer. The Middlesbrough loanee has been a huge hit at the City Ground and with top clubs keen, his shoes will take some filling.
Here, we look at how transfer target Wilson and current star Spence compare…
Wilson v Spence
In terms of goal contributions, Wilson blows most other English defenders out of the water this season. The right-sided star has managed three goals and 14 assists across all competitions this season, in comparison to Spence’s three goals and five assists.
However, as per WhoScored‘s data set, Spence holds the advantage defensively. The Nottingham Forest loan star averages 1.4 tackles, 1.6 interceptions, 1.3 clearances and 0.2 blocks per game. As for Wilson, although his numbers are still strong, they are short of Spence’s. Per game, he totals 1.4 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 0.8 clearances and 0.1 blocks (also from WhoScored).
There are similarities in their ability to carry the ball forward and attack though – something that Forest fans may love to hear given how well Spence has linked up with Brennan Johnson this season. Both show willingness to attack with Wilson averaging 2.6 dribbles per game compared to Spence’s 1.9.
In terms of key passes, Wilson’s 2 per game exceeds Spence’s 0.9 too.
A worthy replacement?
There’s no doubt that Wilson has shown he is far above League Two quality, excelling this season. His statistics show similarities to Spence’s game too, so he could definitely be a strong replacement.
However, the Nottingham Forest target hasn’t been tested at a particularly high level just yet, and given just how good Spence has been, it would be a huge jump up for Wilson, especially with Cooper’s side pushing for a Premier League place.
It’s clear to see why Wilson is on Forest’s radar, but it remains to be seen if their reported interest develops into anything more serious this summer.
