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Wales Online
Wales Online
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Glen Williams

Nottingham Forest defender on trial at Cardiff City as Bluebirds plan for next season

Nottingham Forest defender Osa Solomon is on trial with Cardiff City this week, WalesOnline has learned.

The 19-year-old is out of contract at the Premier League club next term and the Bluebirds are keen to cast an eye over the right-back with a view to supplementing their under-21s squad next season.

Solomon, who was born in Lusk, Ireland, to a Nigerian father and South African mother, so qualifies for all three at international level, reported at Cardiff on Tuesday. The youngster operates primarily on the right-hand side of defence but can also play in the middle, too.

READ MORE: Cardiff City transfer news as Burnley join race for Bluebirds target

We understand that Solomon's link to Forest is purely coincidental and he is not a player who has been earmarked by Bluebirds first-team manager Sabri Lamouchi.

Instead, he is a player who has been sought out by the club's recruitment team as they begin to plan ahead for next season. We understand that more youth-team trialists are pencilled in for the coming weeks.

At present, Darren Purse has both Vontae Campbell and Jai Semenyo as right-back options for his under-21s squad. The club were desperate to get Campbell, 21, out on loan in January in order to expose him to first-team football and will no doubt make that a priority in the summer, too.

Semenyo has been stuck behind Campbell as a consequence and has seen his game time for the under-21s reduce this season. Solomon would only add to that competition next season, however a spot might clear if Campbell can get out and play elsewhere on loan, with the current crop of under-18s also moving up an age grade.

The trial is with a view to signing the Forest youngster on a free in the summer, should he catch the eye, with the defender understood to be leaving the City Ground at the end of the current campaign.

Cardiff are hosting a behind-closed-doors friendly match in the coming days in which Solomon will be handed the chance to impress. It is understood Solomon won't be the only trialist to play for the Bluebirds in that match.

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