Premier League boss’ claim offers Nottingham Forest fresh Brennan Johnson hope | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest have been offered fresh hope of keeping hold of in-demand 20-year-old Brennan Johnson after Brentford boss Thomas Frank claimed Championship players are “too expensive”.

The Bees have been in pursuit of Johnson in the past few windows but reportedly saw a £12 million offer for him rejected earlier this month.

According to a report from Daily Mail, Forest want at least £18 million for the academy product but the west London club are not willing to pay more than £15 million.

Frank’s recent comments about transfers come just three days after that report and have offered the Reds fresh hope of keeping hold of Johnson this month.

He told the BBC: “I do think that a player or two would bring energy and extra awareness to the squad but I don’t think it’s essential.

“We are always prepared, we are always in the market if we can find the right player, for the right position, with the right character then we will do it.

“The Championship is a good league to look at. I also think that when we were in the Championship that League One was a good league to look in, so that’s natural we do that.

“But obviously it’s also natural that we look in the European market. It doesn’t have to be Championship or England, it can be Europe. I think the Championship is actually too expensive. I think we pay too much for the quality of the players that you can probably get in Europe.”

Having turned heads while on loan at Lincoln City last season, the 20-year-old has become a key player for Forest this term and is thriving under Steve Cooper.

The Wales international has five goals and four assists this term and looks set to be vital in their play-off push in the second half of the 2021/22 campaign.

What the future hold for Johnson remains uncertain, however, with Leeds United also linked.

The big 2022 Nottingham Forest quiz: One question about every first-team player – Can you score full marks?

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What year did Lewis Grabban join the club?

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The Verdict

Frank’s comments about Championship players being “too expensive” come just days after the report that Brentford were not willing to meet Forest’s valuation of Johnson, offering the East Midlands club fresh hope of keeping hold of him.

Whether they will be able to do so in the summer remains to be seen but it would certainly be a victory for him to remain part of Cooper’s squad for the second half of the 2021/22 campaign.

The 20-year-old has established himself as one of the finest young players in the Championship this term and a key attacking force at the City Ground.

The Forest boss has made the play-offs in his two previous seasons as a first-team manager and you feel Johnson will be an important figure if he is to make it three in three.