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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Sport
Matt Lee

Nottingham Forest hatch Manchester United transfer plan to beat key rule

Nottingham Forest are considering a permanent move for Manchester United midfielder James Garner in addition to interest in his Red Devils team-mate Dean Henderson.

Cooper is busy preparing his squad for the Premier League and life in the top-flight will feel a step closer when the Premier League fixtures are released on June 16. The transfer window has officially been open since June 10, but the Reds are yet to make any additions to their squad following promotion.

Cooper has been linked with moves for plenty of players, although the Reds will be unable to utilise the loan market as much as they have previously due to different temporary rules in the Premier League.

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Forest are eyeing up a move for Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson, with the Reds exploring the possibility of a £20m option to buy included in a loan deal.

If that was to happen, however, the Reds would not be able to sign James Garner on a loan deal. Premier League rules say that clubs are not allowed to loan more than one player to the same club, once exception is if there is an "obligation to buy" the player following the loan move.

In order to avoid this, it seems that Forest could try and sign Garner on permanent terms instead. According to The Telegraph, Cooper may look to retain the services of the midfielder - who has spent the past 18 months on-loan with Forest - by persuading United to sell him.

Garner's four goals and eight assists from central midfield established himself as a key part of the Reds' promotion into the Premier League. It was his teasing cross which drew the definitive touch from Huddersfield Town's Levi Colwill to put into his own net as Forest beat the Terriers 1-0 in the Championship play-off final.

He has also become a more regular fixture in Lee Carsley's England Under-21 squad. Speaking after a recent defeat to Slovenia, Garner said he hopes he has proved wrong those who raised his physicality as an issue.

He said: "I think I've come on leaps and bounds this season. I've played a lot of games, 50 plus I think. I have developed a lot physically which was the question asked of me - whether I am physically ready. I've shown that I'm physically ready to play."

"Before I went on loan there were questions about whether I am physically read to compete and play first-team football," he added. "I believe I've shown that this season not only by playing a lot of games but by how I've held my own in a tough league."

Would you like to see Forest sign Garner and Henderson? Let us know in the comments section below...

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