Nottingham Forest’s appointment of Martin O’Neill will interest Derby County fans.
Nottingham Forest have confirmed Martin O’Neill as their new manager, taking over from Aitor Karanka after the Spaniard opted to step down at the City Ground.
Derby County supporters generally take an interest in what goes on at their biggest rivals, but O’Neill’s appointment could further grab their attention especially during the current transfer window.
Only four points separate the two clubs in the Championship table, but that could all change with a few astute signings between now and deadline day on January 31.
O’Neill has managed the likes of Leicester City, Aston Villa, Celtic and Sunderland, but his most recent job was with the Irish national team and he may seek out a few of those for potential future transfers.
Here we make a list of three players who could be on O’Neill’s radar, including two former Derby County players.
Cyrus Christie:
Cyrus Christie made over 100 Championship appearances for Derby during 2014-17, before going on to play for Middlesbrough and later Fulham. He now plays for the latter in the Premier League.
Forest have struggled at right-back this season with Tendayi Darikwa unconvincing. The Reds have conceded 39 goals in 27 games, therefore O’Neill’s first job might be to strengthen the defence.
O’Neill handed Christie his debut for Ireland, and in 2017 he established himself as a first-team player.
Callum O’Dowda:
O’Neill also gave Callum O’Dowda his Ireland debut, and he has since gone on to make another 14 appearances. Capable of playing in numerous attacking positions, the 23-year-old would be ideal at Forest.
O’Dowda currently plays for Bristol City, but he is by no means a regular. He has started 12 league games this season, scoring twice and grabbing another three assists.
Jeff Hendrick:
The least likely, for now, is Burney midfielder Jeff Hendrick. However, should the Clarets suffer relegation to the Championship, the former Derby County academy product could become a prime summer target for O’Neill.
Hendrick was instrumental for Ireland in their 2016 European championship campaign, and he has made over 40 appearances for the Irish under O’Neill’s guidance.
Would the Dublin-born player consider a switch to the City Ground considering his Derby ties? It is questionable, but it didn’t stop the likes of Lee Camp or to a lesser extent Robert Earnshaw to do just that in the past decade.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
