Martin O’Neill comments on Nottingham Forest ace Jack Colback’s future

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Jack Colback is on loan at Nottingham Forest from Newcastle United for the rest of the season.

Martin O’Neill has suggested that the Nottingham Forest dressing room feel that Jack Colback is one of the best players at the club and suggested that he is keen to look at a potential permanent deal for the Newcastle loanee, in comments reported by the Chronicle.

Colback has been an inspired signing for Forest. He initially joined on loan ahead of the second-half of last season, and was given the chance to return to the City Ground this term.

The deal was somewhat intriguing, with the Chronicle reporting that his Magpies deal expires in the summer.

The Chronicle suggests that Colback’s future at St James’ Park may become slightly less clear if Rafa Benitez does not stay beyond this season, but if the Spaniard does stick around, his second Forest loan has seen Newcastle miss out on getting a fee for the 29-year-old.

And while O’Neill admitted that he is not sure what Colback’s future with his parent club looks like, he suggested that he would love to keep the combative midfielder at Forest beyond this summer.

“I am not exactly sure, to the nth degree, what the agreement is with Newcastle. I will certainly have a look at that,” he said, as reported by the Chronicle.

“I think your opinion that he has been one of the better players this season is pretty well the same thought around the dressing room as well.

“I have not got into the contractual details of his situation, but I will look at this situation in the near future.”

It is looking a tough task at the moment, but there is still a chance for Colback to help Forest get promoted out of the Championship this season.

O’Neill’s men are eighth in the table, six points back of Bristol City who occupy that final play-off spot and have played two fewer games than Forest.

But given that they were only denied victories against the likes of Leeds and West Brom by dreadful refereeing decisions, it would clearly be foolish to write off Forest’s chances of forcing their way into the top six before the regular season concludes.