O’Neill weighs up Colback’s Forest future
MARTIN O’Neill will study Nottingham Forest’s agreement with Newcastle over Jack Colback before deciding whether to make the move permanent in the summer.
Colback is out on loan at the City Ground having been told last year that he had no future at Newcastle under Rafa Benitez.
Forest have an option of turning the deal into a permanent one but there is also the possibility that Benitez leaves and Colback
finds himself in the plans of a new manager.
Forest fans would certainly like to see him move permanently, with Colback having impressed for Forest and captaining the team during their 0-0 draw at Preston North End on Saturday.
The 29-year-old played 16 times for Forest during a loan stint last season and has picked up where he left off in this campaign too.
The former Sunderland man has appeared 28 times in the Championship this season, scoring twice for the City Ground side, who are eighth in the table.
O’Neill said that he would decide on Colback’s next move in the coming weeks, having only recently joined the club himself.
“In terms of long-term future, it is really early for me to be deciding these things,” the former Republic of Ireland and Sunderland manager said.
“I am not exactly sure, to the nth degree, what the agreement is with Newcastle. I will certainly have a look at that.
“I think your opinion that he has been one of the better players this season is pretty well the same thought around the dressing room as well.
“I have not got into the contractual details, but I will look at this situation in the near future.”
(AS MONACO) THE LINK:
Newcastle United entered talks for the Atletico Madrid winger who had fallen out of favour over at the Wanda Metropolitano.
THE LINK:
Newcastle looked at Lukaku to fill the left-back role, and offer competition to Paul Dummett.
Talks were concluded, and Lukaku travelled to Tyneside spending the night in hotel only for the Magpies to call off the deal after he failed his medical.
It’s been nonexistent as he’s been struck down with problems with his knee. He’s not featured since January 20.
WHAT HAPPENED: HIS FORM SINCE: ANDREAS SAMARIS (BENFICA)
THE LINK:
Newcastle were in discussions with Benfica to take Samaris on loan despite the fact his contract is up in the summer. It looked like
WHAT HAPPENED:
Benfica’s Andreas Samaris
he was going to sign on Deadline Day, but talks broke down which in turn stopped Isaac Hayden’s exit to Aston Villa. Reports in Portugal suggest that Samaris was offered a contract that was ‘complicated’ and was largely based on number appearances.
HIS FORM SINCE:
He’s featured for Benefica a bit more than he previously had with 90 minutes against Sporting, and an hour against Nacional.
He’s showed glimpses of why Benitez has courted him for the last couple of years.
SAMPDORIA) THE LINK:
Italian press strongly linked Defrel to Newcastle, stating that a loan deal was in the offing.
WHAT HAPPENED:
Defrel was linked but never a genuine target for Newcastle. His agent told the Chronicle he would be interested in a move to England one day but there had been no offer from Newcastle.
HIS FORM SINCE:
He’s played three times, completing a full 90 minutes for the first time since November 11 – also the last time he scored.
MAXIMILIAN PHILIPP (BORUSSIA DORTMUND)
THE LINK:
Newcastle were going to complete a deal for the striker to