Jesse Lingard could be on the move in January as he struggles to make an impact at Nottingham Forest.
The 29-year-old signed for the Reds as a free agent in the summer after leaving Manchester United. He was the most high-profile of the club’s 22 additions as they prepared for life in the Premier League, but he is yet to find anything like the kind of form it was hoped he would.
As a result, according to TEAMtalk, Forest “are considering offloading” Lingard when the transfer window reopens. They are said to be ready to cut their losses as he “does not figure in their long-term plans”.
READ MORE: Forest striker's transfer hope revealed amid uncertainty over future
READ MORE: Forest boss Cooper clear on Lingard stance but 'understands' situation
Cooper fined
Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper has been fined after accepting a Football Association charge of “improper conduct”.
The Welshman was charged by the FA following comments about referee Thomas Bramall after the Reds’ 1-0 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers last month. He admitted his post-match interviews “implied bias” against the official, and he has been fined £8,000 as a result.
A statement from the FA said: “ Steve Cooper has been fined £8,000 for breaching FA Rule E3.1 after Nottingham Forest FC’s match against Wolverhampton Wanderers FC in the Premier League on Saturday 15 October 2022. The manager admitted that his comments during post-match interviews constitute improper conduct as they imply bias, question the integrity of the referee and bring the game into disrepute. An independent Regulatory Commission imposed his sanction during a subsequent hearing and its written reasons will be published in due course.”
The match at Molineux was decided by a Ruben Neves penalty and wasn’t without controversy. Wolves’ spot-kick was awarded after Bramall went to his pitchside monitor, following a lengthy VAR check, with Harry Toffolo penalised for a handball. A similar incident in the first half, however, saw nothing given when a Neco Williams shot was blocked.
Samba shock
Former Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Brice Samba has been linked with a surprise return to England with Premier League side Leicester City just 12 months after leaving the City Ground.
The Frenchman was a surprise departure from the club as part of a squad overhaul following his heroics in the play-offs to help the Reds to the Premier League last season. Samba was the hero in the semi-final against Sheffield United as Steve Cooper ’s men booked their place at Wembley after a penalty shootout.
The goalkeeper played the full 90 minutes of the final at the national stadium as Forest came out as 1-0 winners over Huddersfield Town. The victory saw them return to the top division for the first time in 23 years.
Despite those heroics, the 28-year-old left the club in the summer after three years at the City Ground. A move to French side Lens came about after the goalkeeper rejected a new contract offer from Forest after reportedly deeming the terms ‘unacceptable’.
Injury update
Steve Cooper says it is “inconclusive” when Nottingham Forest defender Moussa Niakhate will return from injury.
The summer signing has been sidelined with a hamstring problem since the 1-0 victory over West Ham United in August. He remains some way off making a comeback but Cooper is confident he will still have a part to play in the Premier League campaign.
Niakhate has made two appearances for the Reds so far, having been forced off late on in that City Ground clash with the Hammers. He linked up with the Senegal squad during the last international break and was named on the bench for a match against Bolivia, but then returned to the UK early to continue his rehabilitation.
The 26-year-old was on crutches at the City Ground to watch his teammates beat Liverpool last month. It is unlikely he will feature for Forest in their three games before the World Cup break, with matches against Brentford, Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup, and Crystal Palace to come before the season pauses for six weeks.
How should Forest line up against Brentford? Have your say in the comments below
READ NEXT:
