Nottingham Forest need a new left back after letting Dani Pinillos leave – but would Fleetwood Town flyer Amari’i Bell step up in the Championship?
Many Nottingham Forest supporters were understandably surprised to learn that manager Mark Warburton had taken the decision to release talented left-back Dani Pinillos, as reported by the BBC.
Yes, the Spaniard had only played 35 games in two seasons thanks to a year on the sidelines with a cruciate ligament injury, and his defensive deficiencies were always bubbling under the surface. However, at the age of 24, Pinillos has plenty of time on his side and the raw attributes to become one of the division’s finest attacking full-backs.
Though, as it stands, Forest will go into the summer needing to find a replacement with former Arsenal youngster Armand Traore far too injury prone to be relied upon for an entire season.
Therefore, one player jumps of the page as a potential bargain buy. The Birmingham Mail reported in January that Aston Villa, Norwich City and Derby County were all plotting bids for Fleetwood Town left-back Amari’i Bell.
Rings a Bell
Though Forest are in far greater need of reinforcements at left-back. And with Fleetwood falling to Bradford in the League One play-off semi-finals, it appears that their bargaining position may be severely weakened.
Bell has demonstrated throughout a fine individual campaign that he is more than capable of playing at a higher level. Therefore, you could hardly blame him for seeking an exit from Highbury this summer.
The former Birmingham City youngster was a pillar of consistency in the Cod Army backline, his solid one-on-one defending and ability on the overlap standing out across his 37 League One appearances.
And following on from last summer, where Forest once again underwhelmed with a series of disastrous loan signings, bringing Bell to the City Ground would show an astute approach to the market rarely demonstrated by the East Midlands giants.
And he could make fans forget all about Pinillos.
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