Nottingham Forest have been dealt an injury blow as they build up to the Premier League season.
Midfielder Ryan Yates faces a month on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury during the Reds’ training camp in Spain last week. It means the Nigel Doughty Academy graduate is likely to miss the start of the campaign, which begins with a trip to Newcastle United on August 6.
Yates played the first 45 minutes of the 3-1 defeat to Coventry City at the Pinatar Arena last Friday night. But he was not in the squad for Forest’s second friendly of the summer, against Burton Albion.
READ MORE: How the players fared against Burton
READ MORE: Re-live the action from the Pirelli Stadium
“Yatesy is out for a month. He got injured in Spain, unfortunately - which he’s obviously delighted about,” Cooper said, with the last part very much with tongue in cheek.
“He’s strained a ligament in his knee. It’s a blow for him.
“As you’d expect, he came back extremely fit and raring to go. He hit the ground running in Spain, caught the eye in training, and then unfortunately he’s picked that up.”
Jack Colback and Cafu took up the starting midfield spots at the Pirelli Stadium in Yates’ absence. The visitors came away with a 1-0 win thanks to a Steve Cook header from Cafu’s corner.
Strengthening in midfield was always a priority for Forest this summer, and even more so now with the injury to Yates. Cooper has made six signings so far this window, bringing in Taiwo Awoniyi, Dean Henderson, Giulian Biancone, Moussa Niakhate, Omar Richards and Neco Williams.
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