Fornah may be set for a loan switch

NOTTINGHAM Forest will weigh up whether to send young midfielder Tyrese Fornah out on loan in January.

The highly-rated 22-year-old this week penned fresh terms which will keep him at the City Ground until the summer of 2024.

But as he has struggled for game time this season, the Reds are debating whether a temporary move elsewhere next month will be best for his development.

Fornah thrived during a spell at Plymouth Argyle last term, making 44 appearances. He has featured three times since his return to the City Ground, though, and has not yet been involved under Steve Cooper.

“We like Tyrese. He’s a good young player,” said the Forest head coach. “We need to make sure we have the right programme for him, certainly for the rest of the season - and, hopefully, into our first-team.

“He’s a player we see on a daily basis, in terms of training.

“But we are at that stage where, with January coming up, we need to decide whether he’s going to break into our first-team or play his games on loan.

“That’s nothing that me and him haven’t spoken about at length.

“From when I came in, the window was closed and it was about him just accepting the situation for what it was, making sure he trains well every day and keeps learning in the programme. He does that, to be fair.

“But come January, we need to decide what’s next for him. It could be one of those two things, he could break into our team or he might have to consider a loan.

“But for sure, a commitment to the club from him is a good thing. It means we’ve got to mutually get it right, in terms of our commitment to him, and giving him every opportunity to break through. It’s up to him then, once he gets the opportunity, like every other young player.

“We like to have the young players training with us. If we feel the time is right for them to get an opportunity, then we’ll have no hesitation in putting them in.”

Fornah started the Carabao Cup games against Bradford City and Wolverhampton Wanderers in August, then came off the bench in the Championship defeat to

Blackburn Rovers.

Central midfield is an area where Forest are particularly well covered, however, and he faces a fight to earn his chance.

“He’s not on his own. There’s a lot of players - young players, older players - who maybe haven’t got the game time they would have liked. That’s just how it is,” said Cooper.

“We try to manage everybody in the correct way, even when you’re maybe not giving them the opportunities they want, or sometimes deserve, because of circumstances.

“I wouldn’t single out Ty to be an exceptional case. He’s just part of a large group of players who maybe haven’t had the game time he would have liked.”