Young duo Baba Fernandes and Josh Barnes are set to leave Nottingham Forest this summer, Under-23s head coach Andy Reid has confirmed.
Barnes has been at the club since he was eight years old, having progressed throughout the youth levels at the Nigel Doughty Academy. The 20-year-old midfielder spent a short time with Truro City on-loan in non-league having first penned a professional contract back in 2019.
The young left-sided midfielder signed an extension to his deal last summer and featured in the first-team set-up under Chris Hughton before his loan to Cornwall. Barnes has been a fairly constant figure in Reid's Under-23s squad this season, making 13 starts in 23 appearances as the young Reds finished fourth in the Premier League 2 Division 2.
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Barnes is set to depart Forest alongside central defender Fernandes. The 22-year-old central defender has been another mainstay in the young Reds' defence this season, contributing one goal in 15 appearances, and was also in the first-team picture in pre-season before the start of the current campaign.
The arrivals of Steve Cook and Jonathan Panzo, along with Loic Mbe Soh's return to fitness, have meant Fernandes was unlikely to ever break into the first-team picture.
Speaking after a 2-0 Premier League 2 play-off semi-final defeat at Stoke City, Reid said: "Everybody's journey is different and the Under-23s team we will have next season will look very different. We have plans for lots of players to go out on loan, some will be with the first-team. There are different ways to do it and different experiences that are needed as that is what Steve Cooper is looking for.
"That's the plan that will be put in place. We look at two players who probably won't be with us next season - Baba Fernandes and Josh Barnes. Josh has been with us since under eight or under nine level and he is somebody who I have been so proud to work with. He has been in the same group as Brennan Johnson and Alex Mighten who have come through.
"He has been a massively important part of that group going through but unfortunately for him it hasn't worked out quite as we wanted and we can't offer him the right pathway, so we wish him well and know he will be a success. I am so proud of him and Baba and have really enjoyed working with them. Next season's squad will look very different to this season."
