Nottingham Forest head coach Steve Cooper knows he will have a big selection decision to make at some point this season, when Dean Henderson returns to fitness.
The Manchester United loanee is “still more than a few weeks away” from even joining in training after suffering a thigh injury. When he does recover, though, he faces a challenge to win back his spot between the posts, following the deadline day arrival of Keylor Navas.
Cooper says that dilemma is for further down the line. In the meantime, he believes the Reds will benefit not just from Navas’ undoubted class - as he showed on his debut with a string of first-half saves to help clinch a 1-0 victory over Leeds United - but also from his winning mentality.
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Transfer talk
Anderlecht chief executive Jesper Fredberg has revealed Hendrik van Crombrugge turned down a move to Nottingham Forest in January.
According to The Sun, Forest reportedly struck a £1.5 million agreement to sign the goalkeeper last month, with Steve Cooper in the market for a new shot stopper with number one Dean Henderson on the sidelines injured. Of course, Forest were able to sign an excellent alternative in the form of three-time Champions League winner Keylor Navas, who joined on loan from PSG on deadline day.
Navas made his Forest debut in the 1-0 win over Leeds United on Sunday, with his first half display crucial in securing the three points thanks to a number of excellent saves. But van Crombrugge himself is also an experienced 'keeper and would've provided Henderson with some healthy competition had he decided to make the move.
The 29-year-old is Anderlecht's captain and speaking in an interview with La Derniere Heure, CEO Fredberg detailed how it was van Crombrugge's personal decision not to make the switch to the City Ground.
Pundit's prediction
Richard Keys believes that Nottingham Forest will do enough to stave off relegation from the Premier League this season - something he "always" thought, according to him.
The beIN Sports presenter's prediction comes in the wake of the Reds' 1-0 win over Leeds United, extending their unbeaten run in the league to five games. It puts them six points above the dreaded dropzone, while the victory also cost Jesse Marsch his job at Elland Road.
"Well done Steve Cooper," he scribed in his latest blog entry. "Forest are edging to safety. I always said I thought they’d get enough points at home to cling on for another season. I still think they will."
However, Keys' claim runs contrary to some of his prior comments. Following the 3-2 defeat to Bournemouth in September he predicted that the club would end up having to "rebuild in League One" following their summer spending spree.
Uncertain future
On-loan Nottingham Forest striker Hwang Ui-jo admits he is unsure what the future holds after completing his latest move.
The 30-year-old signed a reported three-year deal for the Reds in the summer, but immediately linked up with fellow Evangelos Marinakis-owned club Olympiacos. His six-month spell in Greece didn’t work out as hoped, however, as he struggled both to make an impact and for regular game time.
That resulted in the deal being terminated early, but having already played for Bordeaux and Olympiacos this season, his options were limited. Hwang ended up joining K League 1 side FC Seoul on a short-term loan, but there is uncertainty about what will happen in a few months’ time.
"This was an extremely important decision for me and I put a lot of thought into it," the forward told Yonhap News Agency. "I will try to improve my match fitness as much as I can over these six months. We'll see what happens after six months.
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