Summer signing Jesse Lingard is yet to make the kind of impact he would have been aiming for at Nottingham Forest.
But contrary to reports, it is understood the Reds have not held discussions about his future ahead of the winter transfer window. It comes after the 29-year-old was linked with a January departure from the City Ground.
A report by TEAMtalk claimed Forest were “considering offloading” Lingard because he “does not figure in their long-term plans”. However, those suggestions are understood to be wide of the mark.
READ MORE: How the Reds rated against Brentford
READ MORE: Cooper has his say on controversial decisions in Brentford draw
The attacker penned a one-year deal when he joined the Reds as a free agent, following his departure from Manchester United. He was the most high-profile of the club’s 22 signings, but is still striving to find top form.
He has found it tough to pin down a starting spot, and dropped to the bench for Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to Brentford. Ahead of that clash with the Bees, head coach Steve Cooper had said of Lingard: “I understand around Jesse, because of where he’s played his football before and having been on the international stage there will always be a bit of extra interest. But we don’t think like that; we treat him the same as everyone else.
“What I do know is Jesse is working really hard on the training ground. He is a very positive influence around the place in a professional way, and, like everyone else, we are all aiming to improve in order to improve our situation.
“I am not one for treating anyone any different. We want to treat everyone the same, because that’s what is needed if we’re going to be as together as we need to be.”
Cooper has also said his focus is on his team’s remaining games before the World Cup break, rather than the transfer window. Forest have a midweek Carabao Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur, followed by a clash with Crystal Palace before the season pauses for six weeks.
The Welshman said of January earlier in the week: "We've not spoken about it, me and Filippo (Giraldi, sporting director. What we have spoken about is just focusing on these games and football.
"There is enough time (during the break). It's not as if it's only a week or two weeks, there's five weeks, in terms of the break.
"What Filippo and myself, and one or two others, have said is, ‘let's just focus on the phase we're in’, which is game phase. When that has a little break then there are some bridges we can cross then, in terms of what we may or may not do.”
What have your made of Lingard so far? Have your say in the comments below
READ NEXT:
