Nottingham Forest hold transfer talks with West Ham | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest are reportedly interested in trying to sign Emmanuel Longelo from West Ham.

According to the Evening Standard, the Reds are set to make an attempt on the promising youngster.

Longelo is an academy prospect at the club. At 21-years old, he plays as a left back and has featured for the senior side in Europe.

His debut came against Dinamo Zagreb in the group stage of the Europa League earlier this season.

However, he has found his chances few and far between since then and now Forest are looking to take him into their side.

The  two clubs have been in discussion over the move this month. However, it is as yet unclear if the move will be a permanent solution or if he will join the club on loan.

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Steve Cooper has a good track record with youth players, especially from his time with the England U17s set up, where he led the team to a victorious World Cup campaign.

Cooper took over Forest in September and has seen them climb from the bottom of the table back into play-off contention.

Forest are currently eighth in the Championship, with 40 points from 27 games. The Reds have won their last two league games, including a momentous victory over their bitter rivals Derby County.

Up next for Cooper’s side is the visit of bottom of the table Barnsley to the City Ground. The two sides meet this evening.

The Verdict

This could be a potentially very exciting signing for Forest. Longelo held his own during that Europa League tie and performed quite well given it was his first start at senior level.

The standard of the group stage in Europe’s second tier competition is very high relative to the Championship so Longelo should be able to adapt to the league quickly enough.

He will need to prove himself at this level if he has any ambitions to play for David Moyes’ side next season, and given Cooper’s track record there are few better places for him to gain the necessary experience.

While a permanent move would be preferable for Forest, Longelo could still have a role to play in the Reds’ promotion bid even with a loan deal to the rest of the season.