Wales star Brennan Johnson explains why he rejected Everton, West Ham and Newcastle United transfer interest to stick with Nottingham Forest

Brennan Johnson admits he had an opportunity to leave boyhood club Nottingham Forest in January, but says the joy of promotion to the Premier League under Steve Cooper has vindicated his decision to stay at the City Ground.

The 21-year-old played a crucial role in the Reds' promotion to the top flight, netting 16 goals and earning nine assists in 46 Championship appearances, and his sparkling form left him with no shortage of admirers in the previous transfer window.

January saw Brentford come knocking with a bid of more than £15m, while Everton, West Ham United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur were also mooted as possible destinations.

However, while he admits the opportunity to move away might well have been there, Johnson insists he made the right decision to stay in the east Midlands, adding that he always believed in Forest's bid to reach the big time.

"There were a lot of games in January," he said. "I didn't have too much time to think about it [my future]. There was a short period when it did become a thing, what I was going to do. But in my head I always wanted to stay.

"I believed in the team, that we had a real good chance of going up. Even when we weren't too high in the league I knew we had the players to really push on and I'm happy I made that decision.

"This season I knew I probably had the capability to play in the Premier League. I always believed in myself and to do it with Forest is just so much better – it is what I wanted.

"To play in the Premier League this season is definitely something I felt like I had to be doing and in terms of my Wales career as well I think it puts me in a really good stead to get into the team and push for a place.

"Going into a Premier League season with a World