WARBURTON: IT’S BETTER FOR GRANT TO BE AT NOTTS
MARK Warburton has ruled out any chance of bringing back Jorge Grant from his loan in January, despite his good form for Notts County.
The highly-rated 23year-old midfielder has already racked up 11 goals in League Two for Forest’s city rivals, leading to speculation that he could return to the City Ground.
However, Warburton believes Grant’s recent form is proof of the benefits of a loan spell and has no plans to bring him back.
He said: “The first thing to say is that Jorge is benefitting from the loan and Notts County are benefitting from it and from his performances. That is the first point.
“Secondly, he would have to come back here and be better than Daryl Murphy, better than Tyler Walker, better than Ben Brereton, Jamie Ward, Apostolos Vellios, Barrie McKay and all the other players in the squad.
“And we do have good options. We have quality attacking options.
“So do you bring a player back to sit on the bench or just to be in the squad, or do you let him play and develop?
“It is a big jump in level as well. Have no doubt about that.
“All thought is always given to what we can do with loan players, but it has to be appropriate and it is all about the player’s development.
“It is absolutely the right place for him to stay.
“He is playing, he is getting pitch time. He has gone out of the club to get that time.”
Meanwhile, Warburton is hopeful Forest will be able to keep 20year-old midfielder Kieran Dowell, who is on loan from Everton, despite the change of management at Goodison Park.
He added: “I don’t think the change in manager there will change anything. I certainly hope it won’t.
“They have a vastly experienced manager going in there, in Sam (Allardyce).”