Nottingham Forest

nottingham forest deal bring twist to other teams

Published

11 months ago

January 4, 2024

Andrew Omobamidele hasn’t had a fair crack at the whip at Nottingham Forest since his deadline day move from Norwich City in the summer but he could reportedly be on the move with Nuno Espirito Santo wanting to shorten his oversized squad.

Having made his Norwich debut as an 18-year-old following his move from Irish side Leixlip United in 2019, Omobamidele instantly stood out as one of the best young players to pass through Carrow Road in recent years, a list which includes the likes of Max Aarons, Emi Buendia, and James Maddison.

His move to the East Midlands was highly heralded but in the cut-throat business of the Premier League, he’s found it hard to get game time and that could open the door to a Championship return. And with Norwich’s rivals Ipswich doing so well in the league, their worst fears could be confirmed if Kieran McKenna’s men decide to make a move.

Andrew Omobamidele has been tipped to exit Nottingham Forest

It’s news that is certain to break hearts at Carrow Road, but a loan move for Omobamidele away from Forest does look to be on the cards with the new Reds boss preferring to work with smaller squads. Steve Cooper’s summer signing hasn’t featured at all in the Premier League and with his new boss likely to cut his playing squad, that could see Omobamidele move on in the coming weeks.

According to The Daily Mail’s Tom Collomosse, the Irishman, alongside Nuno Tavares and the already-departed Andrey Santos, who has gone back to Chelsea, are amongst a select crowd who ‘may no longer be at Forest’ by the time the January transfer window slams shut.

Having paid a reported fee of £11million for his services at the start of the season, and at the age of just 21, one would have to assume that Nuno doesn’t believe in the star whatsoever if he was to sanction a permanent move from the City Ground, and thus a Championship loan – where he already has 45 appearances to his name – could well be sanctioned, which could welcome Ipswich into the conversation.

A move to Ipswich would be ideal for Andrew Omobamidele

If you disregard the affiliation Omobamidele had with the Canaries, there aren’t many more attractive propositions in the Championship than a move to the Tractor Boys at present.

Still second in the table despite their relative slump over the festive period with no wins in their previous five in the league, they remain a huge 15 points ahead of Sunderland in sixth – and even if automatic promotion isn’t achieved, the Suffolk-based outfit will surely at least get to contest for Premier League beyond the end of the regular campaign.

With one of the meanest defences in the league and the second-best attack behind Leicester, Ipswich are undoubtedly a huge name in the current campaign and that makes them a huge attraction for proposed targets.

Omobamidele would have to battle Luke Woolfenden and George Edmundson for a starting place, whilst Dominic Ball and Axel Tuanzebe are also in the ranks. Cameron Burgess is off to the Asian Cup with Australia for the next month or so, and Edmundson has been linked with a move to League One table-toppers Portsmouth in what would be a surprise move given the relative status of the two clubs at present.

But Omobamidele has proven Championship prowess, and his capabilities at the back, at the very least, would offer top-class competition that could inspire Edmundson and Woolfenden to improve their game.