Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper has dismissed speculation linking him with the vacancy at Brighton and Hove Albion.
It had been claimed the Welshman was on the Seagulls’ shortlist to replace Graham Potter, following his departure to Chelsea. A number of contenders have emerged as favourites since then, including Mainz’ Bo Svensson and Bodø/Glimt chief Kjetil Knutsen, with Cooper reportedly currently “not an option”.
The Reds head coach says there is “no truth” in any of the rumours. And he has stressed his focus is on trying to get his team back to winning ways against Fulham on Friday night.
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Visa situation
Defender Serge Aurier will have to wait until after the international break to make his Nottingham Forest debut.
The free agent became the Reds’ 22nd signing of the summer when he put pen to paper last week. He will provide cover and competition for Neco Williams at right wing-back, as well as being able to fill in at centre-back.
But the former Villarreal man will not be available to face Fulham at the City Ground on Friday night, as he is still waiting for visa approval. That means his first appearance could be next month, when Forest return to action with a trip to Leicester City.
“It’s close,” Reds boss Steve Cooper said of Aurier’s visa clearance. “He’s in and around the training ground now.
Mighten's challenge
Nottingham Forest youngster Alex Mighten has been backed to find his form after something of a tough start to his Sheffield Wednesday loan.
With his chances likely to be limited at the City Ground this season, the 20-year-old linked up with the Owls last month. He made his debut as part of the starting XI in a 3-1 defeat to Bradford in the Football League Trophy, and has featured twice in the league since then.
However, Mighten is yet to really show what he can do, and has been deployed in a variety of different positions by Darren Moore, including as a number 10 and on both flanks. Nevertheless, the Wednesday boss remains confident the Reds loanee will find his feet.
"It was his first league start for a while," Moore told Yorkshire Live, after Mighten started Tuesday night’s 3-0 win at Morecambe, only to be subbed off just past the hour mark. "He gave us an out.
Opposition view
Fulham boss Marco Silva is preparing to come up against a Nottingham Forest team bolstered by a “really strong” transfer window.
Defender Serge Aurier became the Reds’ 22nd, and final, new addition when he put pen to paper last week. And throughout the summer, head coach Steve Cooper has not shied away from the extent of the rebuilding required following promotion to the Premier League.
The Welshman’s challenge now is to get his new-look squad to gel, with his immediate goal to halt a three-match losing streak. Silva is wary of the threat Forest will pose on Friday night at the City Ground, as they aim to bounce back from a 3-2 defeat to Bournemouth last time out.
“It will be a really competitive match against a side who had a really, really strong market in the summer, to create a competitive squad and a squad to compete at a high level in this competition,” he told the club's official website. “They want to get the points, but we want the same and our approach will be the same.
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