Nottingham Forest could end up looking after a number of top players from "big" Premier League clubs due to how well the Reds have looked after the likes of Keinan Davis, Philip Zinckernagel and James Garner this season.
The Reds have had a number of loan players head to the City Ground on a temporary basis in recent years, but very few have made the impact that Garner, Davis and Zinckernagel have on Trentside. The trio have scored a combined 12 goals this season - nearly 20% of the Reds' goals all year - whilst Zinckernagel (9) and Garner (6) have provided more assists this campaign than any other Forest player.
Garner, in his second year at the City Ground, has blossomed during the second half of the season and has proved to be a key player under Steve Cooper; Davis, meanwhile, has been given a breath of fresh air since moving to Forest after his Aston Villa career appeared to be stagnating.
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It is no surprise therefore to hear former Reds midfielder David Prutton predict that Premier League teams will be getting in touch with Cooper over the possibility of more top-flight players heading to the City Ground. Speaking to NottinghamshireLive's Garibaldi Red podcast in March 14, Prutton highlighted Davis as one example of how players are developing on Trentside that clubs will be looking at.
"He's 24 but I think he's about to get to three figures for career appearances (he had played 98 games). There's no pre-judgement there," Prutton said.
"From a goalscoring point of view he's at just about double figures (he had 11). For someone to be that age and not played 100 games, he's obviously hit on something at Forest that's getting the best out of him.
"It's no disgrace not to be in the Villa team. Look at how much they've spent on Ings and Buendia. "So many things can come into playing and not playing the assumed amount of games for a 24-year-old.
"The second goal [against Reading] is magnificent. The stick that was used to beat Keinan was that when a chance came, it was a bit more blunt force than anything else (when it came to finishing). That second goal is confidence oozing from every pore.
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"The finish is a touch of class that he's probably not had chance to show on a consistent basis. Leading the line for a gigantic club like Nottingham Forest seems to be bringing the best out of him.
"You look at the players Steve got on loan at Swansea like Marc Guehi and Rhian Brewster. You'd heard a bit about them, but you watch them in real time and think 'oh my word'.
"He's doing the same thing with players at Forest. Hopefully this is a moot point and Forest are in the Premier League next year, but if they aren't then big, big Premier League clubs can go to Steve and say 'can you help develop these' and that's beneficial for Forest as well."
When it comes to players currently on-loan from Premier League clubs in the Championship, there are a vast number that could end up on Forest's radar regardless of whether the Reds win promotion to the top-flight.
If Cooper can make Forest a Premier League side for the first time since 1999 then players such as Billy Gilmour (Chelsea) and Brandon Williams (Manchester United) could be possible loan targets; whilst Jake Clarke-Salter (Chelsea), Tahith Chong (Manchester United), Cameron Archer (Aston Villa), Neco Williams (Liverpool) have had good seasons in the Championship.
What Premier League players on-loan in the Championship would you like to see Forest try and sign next season? Let us know by joining the discussion in the comments section below...
