Nottingham Forest will pose a serious dilemma to Eddie Howe and the Newcastle United hierarchy if they make a tempting offer for Jamaal Lascelles this summer. Reports in The Athletic claim the newly-promoted Premier League side are considering a move for the Toon skipper to bolster their backline ahead of a long-awaited top-flight return.
It was Newcastle who poached the then 20-year-old from Forest in a double deal with Karl Darlow in 2014. The duo were immediately loaned back to the Championship outfit before Lascelles stamped his mark on Tyneside during a notable debut 2015-16 season.
During the latter stages of that relegation campaign, Lascelles - a novice in the side - earned respect among supporters for delivering a bold, no-holds-barred post-match interview following a 3-1 defeat to Southampton. It was his straight-talking, bullish attitude and leadership skills that led Rafa Benitez to make the centre-back captain at 22-years-old.
