Felipe promises to bring Diego Simeone’s ‘WARRIOR’ characteristics with him to the Premier League

When Brazilian defender Felipe says he wants to bring Diego Simone’s ‘warrior’ characteristics to Nottingham Forest, you may just feel a shudder rippling through the Premier League.

Phil Foden, in particular, may well be alerted to the fact that Manchester City go to the City Ground in a fortnight’s time.

Felipe left Foden with blood coming from a head wound after a challenge on the England forward during last season’s Champions League second leg quarter-final tie at the Wanda Metropolitano.

Foden needed to be bandaged up before playing on – and Felipe did not even get a booking.

Felipe was also sent off against Liverpool in 2021, for an alleged stamp on Sadio Mane.

Felipe says he wants to bring Diego Simone’s ‘warrior’ characteristics to Nottingham Forest

The Brazilian left Foden with blood coming from a head wound after a challenge last season

For now, it is Leeds United who have the prospect of facing up to the player who could make his Forest debut today, following his deadline day move from Simeone’s Atletico Madrid.

Felipe, 33, says he bought into what Simone wanted from his players, and sees no reason to change as he joins manager Steve Cooper’s attempt to keep Forest in the Premier League.

‘Simeone is very demanding in all aspects of our work,’ said Felipe. ‘You can see he is a great manager and really spends a lot of time close up with the players.

‘He really does have the characteristic that’s rooted in his Argentinian football background.

‘They are warriors, they have desire and a lot of grit. I really like that and I have this in my game too.

‘With Simeone there’s a lot of focus on the defensive process and I learned a lot from him.

‘But that’s also why I wanted to come to the Premier League, the football has characteristics that are similar to mine.’

Felipe says his Premier League attitude will be no different to what he displayed in the Champions League.

The 33-year-old has claimed his style of play will be well suited to deal with English football

‘We all know what the Champions League is like, the intensity is similar to the Premier League – so you can expect similar from me, that’s the way I play,’ he said.

‘Sometimes in these very competitive games we make mistakes in the heat of the moment, but that’s my style.

‘A lot of strength, going into challenges strongly, these are my characteristics and it’s what people love in football around the world.’

Felipe is now one of four Brazilians playing for Forest after yet another signing spree in the January window.

He joins former Atletico team-mate Renan Lodi, Gustavo Scarpa and Danilo at the City Ground.

Felipe – who spent four years at Atletico – hailed Simeone’s management style and character

But he says his background as a teenager was a world away from the major clubs’ academies.

‘When I was 18, I was thinking of giving up football,’ he said.

‘So I went to work with my mother in law, not just selling mushrooms, I was also selling clothes as well, so I got up at 3.40am.

‘I’d be delivering mushrooms to restaurants – then in the afternoon I’d sell clothes and then later on I was studying.

‘That was a great experience for me, because today I really value things differently.

‘I’m not saying others don’t, but you really place an important in values.

‘I didn’t have a youth team background, whereas other players have been at the same club since the age of seven or eight years old.

‘At 18, there was no football career for me, I was on the street delivering mushrooms.

‘Everything took off for me at the age of 19 or 20.’