Nottingham Forest transfer setback could have a silver lining for Steve Cooper: Opinion

Nottingham Forest have been busy in January, in what is Steve Cooper’s first window since taking charge of the City Ground. 

For the most part their signings arrived early on in the month – with Keinan Davis joining on loan from Aston Villa, Steve Cook signing from Bournemouth, and Richie Laryea making the move from Toronto – while departures have been more prominent in the last week or so.

It seems Dane Murphy and co. are keen to trim the squad before the window closes but one failed departure may well have a silver lining for Cooper and Forest.

24-year-old forward Xande Silva only signed for the East Midlands club in the summer, joining from West Ham United for a nominal six-figure fee, but it appeared until today that he was set to leave before the end of the window.

According to Nottinghamshire Live, Silva was lined up to join Greek top tier side Aris Thessaloniki after impressing on loan with the club last season.

Whether he would go on loan or permanently is said to have been an obstacle but it was believed that the latter was likely.

However, today sources in Greece informed Nottinghamshire Live that the move was off with Aris set to use the money put aside to bring Silva to the club on another bit of business.

On the surface that looks a setback for the City Ground outfit, who were seemingly keen to offload him before the window closed, but it could prove to have a silver lining.

Despite offers for both Blackpool’s Josh Bowler and Millwall’s Jed Wallace, the Reds have not signed any more forward firepower beyond Davis and have in fact let Lyle Taylor leave on loan.

With Forest preparing to push for promotion in the second half of the season, squad depth could turn out to be vital particularly given the issues