Nottingham Forest don’t necessarily need a cleanout this summer, but a number of Nuno Espírito Santo’s fringe options could well be moved on to provide extra funds.
Forest plan to spend big in the summer to help bolster the squad ahead of European competition next season, but outgoings can still be expected.
Most obviously, Ramon Sosa could leave Forest after an uneventful season at the club, while Danilo could return to Brazil, having fallen down the pecking order.
In a similar boat, Jota Silva is happy at Forest despite his squad role. There is one player above all that is most likely to leave, though, but he couldn’t have imagined that a move to La Liga could be an option.
Photo by George Wood/Getty Images
Photo by George Wood/Getty Images
Lewis O’Brien wanted by ex-manager at Valencia
On loan in the Championship since January, Swansea City fans have loved having Lewis O’Brien at their club with a string of strong performances at the lower level. Wrexham have been alerted by O’Brien’s displays and are considering a move to hijack Swansea.
O’Brien is open to staying at Swansea, but they won’t be his only option as, according to ELDesmarque in Spain, O’Brien’s former manager, Carlos Corberan, is interested in bringing the midfielder to Valencia.
The report said: “The Mestalla club is interested in signing him on loan with an option to buy, as the left-footed midfielder fits into the Valencia manager’s plans for next season.
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“However, it won’t be easy because the decision on his loan or transfer depends on Nottingham Forest, and he’s also left such a good impression on Swansea, the club where he’s been on loan this season, that the Swans want to repeat the move.”
His comments surrounding his loan spell at Swansea would lead you to think that the Welsh side would be O’Brien’s preferred option, but Corberan’s admiration for the midfielder could swing the deal in Valencia’s favour.
Carlos Corberan is a huge fan of ‘special’ Lewis O’Brien
After facing off against him in the Championship play-off final, Forest signed O’Brien, but the transfer never seemed to suit either party.
Therefore, reuniting with the manager who earned him that move could make sense, given how highly Corberan rates the 26-year-old.
Speaking to Yorkshire Live back in that 2022 play-off campaign, Corberan said: “He is a brilliant player, there are two things.
“Firstly this year he has played as number three as a left-back and a wing-back, in his best position in midfield as a number eight, as number eleven, as a ten, and even as a number seven the other day in the change to a 3-4-3 he spent some minutes playing on the right.
“But it’s not only the fact that Lewis O’Brien can compete at a top-level every single time he plays whatever position he is on the football pitch, it’s how he reacts to how you make him play in different positions.
“There is what makes him a special player and that is the fact that means I don’t see limits in his career and I don’t see limits in his potential.”
Depending on the conditions of the deal, Valencia may have their manager to thank if they can get O’Brien to choose them over a return to Swansea.