Steve Cooper says it has been “business as usual” despite no shortage of interest in Nottingham Forest star Brennan Johnson ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline.
The Reds are this week understood to have rejected a club record fee put forward by Brentford as they attempted to snap up the 20-year-old.
The Bees have been persistently pursuing Johnson since the summer, although they are not the only ones targeting him.
But with the general suggestion from the club being he is not for sale, Cooper says the focus has simply been on preparing for Sunday’s trip to Cardiff City.
“I believe there’s been a lot written, but nothing has really come to me officially,” he said.
“If there was something serious going on, then I would know more about it.
“For me, it’s very much been a normal week with Brennan.
“He’s very happy here. He’s playing very, very well. We’re just working hard for him to continue to improve and continue to play well.
“Whatever else has been said in and around that, and above me, I’m not too sure.
“I just focus on the players that we work with every day.
“If there was a sense of anybody leaving, for whatever reason, then the club are very quick to tell me what might be happening. But with some players, including Brennan, that hasn’t been the case.
“I’ve never really thought about any players that we didn’t want to leave having to leave.
“Maybe it’s a bigger thing outside than what it’s been for me, because I just concentrate on our work and trying to get ready for the next game, while trying to build our way as well.
“That’s how it’s been.
“For me, it’s been business as usual.”
Johnson has quickly become a key player for Forest this season, putting in some standout performances.
He scored his seventh goal of the campaign on Tuesday night, sealing a 3-0 victory over Barnsley at the City Ground, having also weighed in with an assist.
And there’s no suggestion any speculation about his future has affected his form.
“I think he’s probably similar to me, he’s just coming in here every day thinking about what he needs to get out of the day, how he can improve and how he can prepare for the next game,” Cooper said.
“He’s a very level-headed boy. This is his club, he loves playing for Nottingham Forest. We love him playing for Nottingham Forest.
“Hopefully we see him playing really well again on Sunday.”
