Nottingham Forest reportedly did not include a buy-back option when signing Bayern Munich left-back Omar Richards this summer.
The former England under-21 international joined the Reds for a transfer fee in the region of £7million way back in July and signed a four-year contract at the City Ground following a single season with the perennial Bundesliga champions. Add-ons could also potentially take that total figure further towards the £10million mark.
Richards sustained a hairline fracture in his leg during pre-season training just weeks after arriving at the club and has been sidelined ever since. Therefore, the 24-year-old is still yet to make an appearance for Forest, with fellow summer signings Harry Toffolo and more recently Renan Lodi lining up on the left-hand side instead.
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The Reds are, though, apparently safe in the knowledge that should the new arrival find form once fit, then they would be able to retain his services on their terms. BILD journalist Christian Falk is reporting that claims Bayern have an option to buy the player back are 'not true'. For comparison, that is not the case for namesake and fellow former teammate Chris Richards, who joined Crystal Palace during the summer transfer window and for whom his former employers do have a buy-back option on.
In the immediate term, head coach Steve Cooper's focus will be getting his Richards back to full fitness and out on the pitch in the Premier League. The Forest boss said late last month that the player was "on course" and "making good progress", with it mentioned that a return was expected to be around a month away, which could see the defender realistically return to the fold during the upcoming international break.
What are you expecting from Richards when fully fit? Have your say in the comments...
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