‘Considerable interest’: £8m man finds new home after Portsmouth rejection for former Nottingham Forest defender
The man who Nottingham Forest sold for £8m in 2019 was with Pompey in the summer - but has now found a new employer in the EFL.
Summer triallist Arvin Appiah has found a new club after his Pompey rejection.
The man who spent pre-season training with John Mousinho’s squad has agreed a short-term deal with League Two side Bristol Rovers.
Bristol Rovers boss on new signing: ‘Came to my attention when he played for Pompey’
Appiah will link up with his former boss from Rotherham United, Steve Evans, after sealing a contract until the new year.
The former Nottingham Forest man who moved to Spanish side UD Almeria for £8m in 2019, featured against the Pirates in the summer in his first outing for Pompey.
Appiah remained with Mousinho’s squad throughout the Championship build-up, before leaving ahead of the season opener at West Ham in the Carabao Cup.
The 25-year-old then joined up with the Professional Footballers’ Association in their training camp for out-of-contract players.
But the left-sided operator has now linked up with the side who sit fifth in the fourth tier, featuring in their 4-1 EFL Trophy loss at Wycombe Wanderers last night.
Appiah told Bristol Rovers’ official website: ‘I'm grateful and honoured to be here.
‘I can't wait to get on the pitch after being out for so long. I'm happy to be back in a footballing environment and it's a good one, so I can't complain.
‘Steve knows what I can do and what I can bring to this team. He just wants me to get my confidence back up, and I am grateful to him for putting that trust back in me. Now, I have got to show it on the pitch. So, I am raring to go.
‘I can't wait to meet all of the fans at The Mem and to get this team to where it belongs.’
Evans revealed Bristol Rovers beat a number of sides to secure Appiah’s services, including a Scottish Premier League outfit who were hot on his trail.
The Scot explained it was the 1-1 draw with Pompey in pre-season which was a factor in landing the player.
He said: ‘Arvin is a young man whom I first worked with during my time at Rotherham United. That was in the Championship. His performances were very impressive.
‘He came to my attention again when he played against us for Portsmouth in pre-season. I got in touch with Arvin when I understood he was still a free agent and he was keen to see us.
‘He has been with us for well over a week. Our supporters will like the boy for sure, and he is naturally two-footed, so they will not know which is his stronger foot.
‘He has got a wonderful talent. He can pass, dribble, shoot and play as a six, an eight, a ten, a left wing-back and a left winger.
‘This is a real asset for us because we fought really hard, as he had considerable interest from clubs in England and Scotland, and I am really grateful to our chairman and board for allowing us to do this on the day an SPL side rang his phone every 30 minutes.’