DC United manager Wayne Rooney has said that it's ‘likely’ that Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O’Brien will return to the City Ground at the end of his loan deal after talks between the two clubs.
Last year’s summer signing has spent the last few months on loan with the MLS side after a January deadline day deal with Blackburn Rovers fell through due to late submission of paperwork. O’Brien is due to return to Forest on July 16, when his loan deal expires.
With the MLS season not ending until October, Rooney spoke of his desire to extend the deal until the end of the campaign.
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It, however, seems that those conversations between the two clubs have not led to an agreement being reached. Rooney provided a further update on Thursday.
“It’s probably looking more likely Lewis will be going back to England,” the former Derby County boss said, via the Washington Post. “We haven’t managed to get to an agreement with Nottingham Forest.”
Since arriving in America, O’Brien has started all but one of DC United’s MLS games, scoring once and assisting once. He has also featured in both of the club’s US Open Cup ties.
The 24-year-old joined Forest from Huddersfield Town last summer, but failed to play regularly for the club in his first six months in the Premier League. His lack of game time led to the player looking for a loan move in January.
After his move to Blackburn fell through, he was left out of Steve Cooper ’s 25-man Premier League squad for the second half of the campaign. It meant that a move to America or another league with the transfer window still open was the only option for game time in the last few months.
Newly-promoted side Sheffield United have been credited with a summer interest in O’Brien. Forest are, however, said to have reservations over potentially strengthening a rival in the summer transfer window.
