No one at Nottingham Forest wants to see Brennan Johnson leave during the January transfer window.
Especially as a Forest side who were nailed to the bottom of the Championship table only a few weeks ago are now on the trail of the play-offs, with whizzkid Johnson the ace in Steve Cooper’s pack, the gem in his crown.
The Wales international scored one and made one as Nottingham Forest thumped Cooper’s old employers Swansea City 4-1 at the Liberty Stadium earlier this month.
He was the difference in Saturday’s narrow, comeback victory over Hull City too.
According to The Mail, Johnson’s sparkling showings have not gone unnoticed either. Everton and Newcastle United are weighing up £20 million moves ahead of the January transfer window.
West Ham are interested too.
And no wonder, given that David Moyes’ side have enjoyed plenty of success when fishing in the Championship pond recently, snapping up Said Benrahma, Jarrod Bowen and Craig Dawson from second-tier clubs.
But while losing Johnson would exactly enhance Forest’s promotion prospects, there’s an acceptance that cashing in on their prized asset could actually solve more problems than it creates.
Will Nottingham Forest sell Brennan Johnson to the Premier League?
A £20 million windfall could give Forest the funds required to turn Djed Spence, Philip Zinckernagel, James Garner and Max Lowe – all of whom joined on loan over the summer – into permanent transfers.
“For me, I would love that we don’t have to rely on loans,” Cooper said recently, via the Nottingham Post. “Because that means the young players in your team are yours and you’re developing your own assets.”
Who knows, perhaps Everton or West Ham would be willing to send Johnson back on loan to the City Ground for the remainder of the season.
The 20-year-old would surely be better off playing week-in, week-out in the heat of a promotion battle than sitting on the sidelines a division above.
No one at Forest wants Johnson to go. But £20 million – plus Zinckernagel, Spence and Lowe on permanent deals – is not a bad alternative.
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