Pundit makes West Brom transfer admission on the Baggies’ reported interest in Nottingham Forest player | OneFootball

Former West Bromwich Albion forward Kevin Campbell believes an agreement for Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O’Brien is unlikely at this stage, speaking about the Baggies’ potential January business in an interview with West Brom News.

O’Brien only linked up with Forest in the summer but has already been linked with an exit from the City Ground, with Carlos Corberan reportedly keen on taking him to The Hawthorns temporarily after working with the midfielder at Huddersfield Town last season.

The 24-year-old was able to take his game to a new level under Corberan during the 2021/22 campaign but hasn’t been able to establish himself as a regular starter under Steve Cooper just yet, finding himself on the bench for much of this term.

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With this, the Baggies may fancy their chances of sealing a loan deal for the ex-Huddersfield man, with a new midfielder seemingly on Corberan’s target list considering Jon Russell was also reported to be a target.

However, Albion’s transfer budget is likely to be very limited this month with the club taking out a loan from MSD Holdings to cope with the costs of running the club.

And pundit Campbell believes a move for O’Brien is unlikely at this point, with the player potentially having plenty of unfinished business in the East Midlands.

He said: “He’s a very good player and I can’t see West Brom making that move right now unless Steve Cooper says, ‘okay we’re going to loan you out to get you some game time.

“Steve Cooper needs his squad in the Premier League and he’s a good player so I still think he’s got a lot of football left in him at Nottingham Forest. I can’t see that one happening yet.”

The Verdict:

Considering Forest spent a decent amount on him in the summer, it would be a slight surprise if Cooper was prepared to sanction a loan exit at this stage, especially with the Welshman potentially wanting a decent amount of depth.

This depth could be the difference between staying up and relegation, with Cafu’s future uncertain and Jack Colback being linked with a move to Wigan Athletic.

Albion may not even be able to guarantee O’Brien a starting spot if he came considering Okay Yoksulu and Jayson Molumby performing well, with the former always likely to be one of the first names on the teamsheet.

The Baggies may also be reluctant to pay a decent chunk of his wages considering he won’t be spending the long term at The Hawthorns – and that may be a barrier to getting this potential over the line.

It also remains to be seen whether the Championship side prioritise their midfield this month, with an attacking option probably needed between now and the deadline at the end of the month to increase competition in the forward department.