Nottingham Forest’s hopes of landing Chelsea star Jake Clarke-Salter on loan lay in ruins according to Football Insider’s Wayne Veysey with the 22-year-old on the verge of moving on a permanent move to Brest, in France.
Referencing a ‘recruitment source’, Veysey writes that Clarke-Salter “is close to agreeing a move to French top-flight club Brest” calling this move a blow to Nottingham Forest’s hopes. It is thought that Forest, alongside a host of other Sky Bet Championship clubs were interested in taking the young defender on loan.
It wouldn’t be the first Championship loan for the youngster who turns 23 tomorrow. Last season, the 2019/20 campaign was spent on loan at Birmingham City and was one of a number of loans the Carshalton-born defender has been on away from Chelsea.
Clarke-Salter, who has found it increasingly difficult to break into the Chelsea first team, where he’s made only two appearances, has found football chiefly through the loan market. He first went on loan to Bristol Rovers (13 apps/1 goal/1 assist), before moves to Sunderland (11 apps), Vitesse Arnhem (37 apps/1 goal/2 assists) and finally landing at Birmingham City last season.
His stay at Birmingham (23 apps/1 goal/1 assist) seems to be his last move out on loan with Ligue 1 Brest favoured to seal a permanent move for the highly-thought-of defender with Veysey writing that “a move may be sealed this week.”
There is some hope for Forest, who have lost their opening two games of the season, in that the club are deep into a move for Aberdeen centre-back Scott McKenna. He’s undergone a medical today and could be unveiled in the very near future.
