Newcastle United have left Paul Merson ‘flabbergasted’ by letting Nottingham Forest sign Chris Wood on loan. The move includes a conditional obligation for a permanent transfer.
Steve Cooper targeted a deal to sign Wood to strengthen his City Ground outfit’s hopes of avoiding relegation. The 31-year-old will now spend the remainder of the term at the Reds. While Sky Sports reports Nottingham Forest will pay £15m to keep him come the summer.
Wood will sign a contract with Cooper’s club running to June 2024 should they achieve the criteria agreed with Newcastle. Eddie Howe, meanwhile, is now looking into replacements for the New Zealand international. He only moved to St James’ Park last January for £25m.
Newcastle backed Howe to sign Wood from Burnley by triggering his release clause at Turf Moor. Yet the forward would only score five goals in 39 games with the Magpies. His haul in black-and-white also included just four goals in 35 Premier League games, starting in 19.
Howe moved to sign Wood after losing Callum Wilson to a serious calf injury that kept him out for four months. But the striker failed to keep a prominent role on Tyneside after the club signed Alexander Isak. The Magpies paid Real Sociedad a club-record £63m fee in August.
Newcastle stun Merson by letting Nottingham Forest strike a transfer for Wood
Isak has not set the world alight after moving to the Premier League having suffered with a thigh injury. The issue kept the Sweden international out of action for three months and to just four top-flight appearances so far. Yet the 23-year-old has offered three league goals.
Wood left Newcastle to join Nottingham Forest in an initial loan transfer after only scoring two goals through 18 Premier League games this season. Yet the Toon stunned Merson by letting him leave without Howe getting a replacement for the 70-cap star to the club first.
“Flabbergasted,” Merson said on Sky Sports News (21/1, 13:49). “Honestly, flabbergasted. I like Wilson and Isak. But one’s been out [for] a long time injured [and] the other one, you don’t seem to get a run of games – Wilson – where he’s fit consistently.
“Wood comes in and does the job. He comes across as a good pro. Not just that, he’s at the other end, as well, when he’s defending. When they’re keeping clean sheets, it’s not luck – they defend corners very well. He comes back [and] he clears stuff.
“For what they’re selling him for, I cannot believe it. It wouldn’t surprise me in three weeks’ time if the two centre-forwards were injured and they haven’t got a forward to put on upfront… If you’re Newcastle, you do the business first and then you get rid of Wood.”
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