Forest set to miss out as Grosicki commits to Baggies
POLISH WINGER WANTS TO FIGHT FOR PLACE AT WBA
WEST Bromwich Albion winger Kamil Grosicki will not be joining Nottingham Forest in January, according to a report in his native Poland.
Forest were close to signing the 32-year-old in the summer window, only for the move to fall through amid a dispute about paperwork being submitted in time.
Reds boss Chris Hughton has retained an interest in the Poland international, who has made only three appearances for Albion this season, most recently in Saturday’s FA Cup third round away defeat by Blackpool.
However, according to Polish website meczyki.pl, he is keen to stay and fight for his place at The Hawthorns.
The reports states: “Kamil Grosicki does not want to jump on the transfer carousel on the last day of the transfer window in England this time.
“The winger of the Polish national team made a decision. According to our information, he intends to fight for a place in the West Bromwich Albion squad.
“The Pole will definitely not move to Nottingham Forest this winter, with which he has recently negotiated.”
The reports adds: “If the midfielder’s situation did not change in the next month, the 32-year-old is considering an emergency option.
“There would be no shortage of eager people for his services. The problem would, of course, be the salary. The Baggies would have to take a large part of it.”
A loan move to PKO Ekstraklasa has been mooted as potential option for Grosicki this month.
But the report says: “At the moment, however, the priority is still to stay in the Premier League and fight for a place in the WBA.”
Grosicki’s 18-month deal at Albion expires this summer.
FOOTBALL will come under extreme Government pressure to stop if clubs “continue to flout the rules” on limiting the spread of coronavirus, EFL chief executive Trevor Birch has warned.
Elite sport has been allowed to continue despite the country being placed in a new national lockdown designed to slow down the rate of Covid-19 infections in the UK.
However, a number of on and offfield incidents, along with an increase in positive test rates among players, means the professional game is under greater scrutiny from the Government and the public than ever before.
Birch says all EFL clubs and their staff must bear this in mind.
“Throughout the pandemic, football has provided a glimmer of hope for many millions of people affected by restrictions but we all understand the scrutiny the game remains under and we will come under extreme governmental pressure if we continue to flout the rules,” he said in a letter to clubs.
There were high-profile instances of Covid protocols being breached by EFL clubs over the FA Cup third round weekend.
Queens Park Rangers admitted they should not have allowed former player Eberechi Eze to attend their tie against Fulham, while Crawley Town’s exuberant celebrations of their upset win over Leeds United also went against rules around social distancing.
“While football is permitted to continue, the actions of all participants will be clearly under the microscope, whether this be in technical areas, dugouts, or in relation to general behaviour and interaction between players on the pitch and staff off it,” Birch added.
Birch says individual transgressions must be “properly investigated” by the clubs concerned and warned: “Any failure to do so may result in action taken by the league individually against the relevant person where it is appropriate and/ or against the club itself.”
He said now was “not the time for complacency” over the Covid-19 protocols.
From this week, players and staff at EFL clubs will be tested twice a week. The testing is being funded by the Professional Footballers’ Association.
The results from this week’s tests are expected to be announced by the EFL on Tuesday, January 19.