‘If I’m being honest…’ – Steve Cooper makes frank Nottingham Forest transfer admission on January addition

Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper has admitted he would have been interested in recruiting Sam Surridge even if Lewis Grabban had not sustained an injury, speaking to Nottinghamshire Live.

23-year-old Surridge arrived from Stoke City for a fee believed to be in the region of £2m on deadline day last month, with the forward struggling to adapt to life at the bet365 Stadium during his short spell there and Cooper taking the opportunity to recruit him having worked with him at Swansea City before.

Beating Cardiff City to his signature due to the fact the Reds were willing to negotiate a deal, the latter seemingly moved quickly to wrap up this signing, with this arrival coming after Grabban was forced off with an ankle injury towards the end of their tie against the Bluebirds last Sunday.

It has now been revealed the 34-year-old will be out of action until April, a huge blow for a side that have seen him get back to his best this term with 12 goals in 27 league appearances.

Despite recruiting Keinan Davis on loan in early January, with Philip Zinckernagel also playing in a more central role at times for the East Midlands outfit this term, the loan departure of Lyle Taylor to Birmingham City left them short on options up top.

But although Forest’s boss admitted Surridge’s arrival was a response to Grabban’s setback, he also revealed he would have been firmly in the race to recruit the forward had his side’s recruitment team known about his availability beforehand.

He said: “Sam was, if I’m being honest, a reaction to Lewis’ injury. But in saying that, if I’d known Sam was available, the club would have been interested in bringing him in, so it worked quite nicely.

“He’s a player I’ve worked with before, at Swansea. He