A transfer deadline day exit for Nottingham Forest defender Tobias Figueiredo is looking unlikely.
The Portuguese is wanted by Vitoria, in his homeland, with a loan move said to have been in the offing.
But with the Reds hit by injuries in the centre of defence, they could be reluctant to let him go.
Joe Worrall was already sidelined for six weeks with broken ribs, before Steve Cook was left nursing a calf problem after Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Cardiff City.
Rodrigo Ely, who has yet to make his debut in the Garibaldi, and Loic Mbe Soh have also recently had lengthy spells out of action, although they have returned to training.
That makes a move for Figueiredo “complicated”, according to Record, even though he “saw with good eyes” the possibility of a return to Portugal.
Forest are hoping to sign centre-back Jonathan Panzo, from French club Dijon, before the 11pm cut-off, however. And it is said that could yet “open the door again” for Figueiredo to depart.
But Record add, “for now, everything indicates” a switch to Vitoria won’t be forthcoming.
Even with Worrall out of action, Figueiredo has been struggling to get a chance as boss Steve Cooper has opted to either drop midfielder Ryan Yates into the defence or go with a four-man rearguard.
The last time Figueiredo pulled on the Garibaldi was in the 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough on Boxing Day, when he was substituted midway through. He has made a total of 19 appearances this term.
After losing to the Bluebirds, Cooper said of potential departures: "Only players that we would be okay with moving on. But in terms of the ones that we're building the team with, then, no."
