Nottingham Forest Director of Football Frank MacParland stands between Premier League sides and 18-year-old wonderkid Ben Brereton.
With the majority of Nottingham Forest’s summer signings ranging from the anonymous to the abysmal, it was no surprise that manager Mark Warburton made hiring trusted talentspotter Frank MacParland on a deal until the end of the season one of his first decisions at the City Ground, as reported by the Nottingham Post.
MacParland, who followed Warburton to Rangers in 2015, is credited for discovering both Andre Gray and Scott Hogan at Brentford, who the club sold for a combined £25 million. Furthermore, Forest’s Director of Football also played a major role in Liverpool signing a precocious young teenager called Raheem Sterling in 2010.
This time, however, MacParland will not be tasked with bringing a prodigious youngster to Nottingham Forest. Instead, his remit will be to keep him there.
Since Ben Brereton made his senior Forest bow in late January, the 18-year-old has established himself as one of the most exciting young talents in English football. The forward, who scored at a prolific rate for the club’s reserves, may have only hit the net three times in 17 senior appearances but the maturity of his performances has got scouts sweating.
And, according to the Nottingham Post, one of MacParland’s primary tasks is to secure Brereton’s future at the club. The teenager, who was named EFL Apprentice of the Year last week, only has a year left to run on his current deal.
And the Daily Mirror reports that Tottenham Hotspur are the latest Premier League club to express an interest in the £10 million-rated wonderkid.
With Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino renowned for his ability to turn young talents into world-class stars, and with Tottenham capable of offering Champions League football, you could see why Brereton may be tempted.
Yet, MacParland could prove his worth by ensuring Brereton remains at Forest – unlike so many of their highly-rated prospects in years gone by.
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