Nottingham Forest are set to trim the fat from a bloated squad this summer with Vladimir Stojkovic next in line for the cull.
Perhaps the clearest indication of just how haphazard Nottingham Forest’s transfer business was last summer is the fact that only five of their 11 signings are likely to still be at the City Ground at the start of the season.
Nicolai Dumitru and Patijm Kasami returned to Napoli and Olympiakos respectively after disappointing loan spells, while the rampaging right-back Hildeberto Pereira, despite his cult hero status, did not extend his stay from Benfica. Perhaps that had something to do with his tally of four red cards in 16 league starts.
And further signings brought to the East Midlands by derided former director of football Pedro Pereira are set to exit via the back door.
Perquis has 14 caps for Poland but failed to impress at Forest
Polish centre-back Damien Perquis has now left to join AJ Ajaccio and Forest manager Mark Warburton confirmed that Serbian goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic won’t be far behind.
“I think Damien is very close to moving on to another club and I believe Vlad is in a very similar position,” Warburton said in quotes reported by the Derby Telegraph prior to Perquis’ move being announced.
Good riddance
33-year-old Perquis arrived at Forest from Toronto FC but quickly fell down the pecking order, making just 17 league appearances thanks in part to the emergence of homegrown centre-back Joe Worrall.
Stojkovic, meanwhile, became a much-maligned figure among Forest supporters, his propensity for crucial errors meaning Warburton wasted no time replacing him with rookie shot-stopper Jordan Smith.
Stojkovic’s 73 Serbia caps counted for little at Forest
Warburton also confirmed that Lica, the forgotten Portuguese winger who spent the second half of last season with Estoril, has no future at the City Ground.
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