Nottingham Forest struggled last season. They were a side tipped to impress by many – it didn’t pan out that way.
Nottingham Forest fans instead had to watch their side flail away at the wrong end of the table, eventually finishing in a lowly 17th place in the Championship table.
This season hasn’t started as they’d have wished. Instead, it was a continuation of last season with the Reds suffering late heartbreak in a 2-1 loss to Coventry City.
Their intent for this season will be to challenge at the top end of the table. It is an intent that is summed up in the Brennan Johnson situation.
Who is Brennan Johnson?
20-year-old, Nottingham-born Johnson has been with Forest since 2009, signing with the Reds as an 8-year-old schoolboy.
He broke into first-team plans at the City Ground in 2019, making eight appearances (362 minutes) in that breakthrough season.
Last season saw the youngster out on loan at League One side Lincoln City. Whilst out at Sincil Bank, Johnson sparkled.
In 40 League One appearances, Johnson scored 10 goals and provided 12 assists. This helped to underline the dual-threat that the young forward is.
He featured for Nottingham Forest in their 2-1, opening day loss at Coventry City. He set up Lyle Taylor for what was the opening goal of the encounter.
What’s the situation at Nottingham Forest?
With such a display as he showed at Lincoln, Johnson was bound to pique the interest of any watching sides.
Premier League new boys Brentford – a club renowned for developing young players – are said to have “serious interest” in the Nottingham Forest youngster.
With all of this circulating, Forest has been pushing to offer Johnson a new deal. This deal is said to be a reward for the obvious progress that the young forward has shown.
It is an offer that journalist/writer Paul Taylor has said on his Twitter feed has hit an impasse. He provides clarifying details with the following tweet:
The stumbling block here isn’t money. Believe that aspect is all but agreed. It’s length of contract and the size of any release clause that needs to be agreed.
Greed and/or a lack of willingness from Forest to cough up wages is not a factor.— Paul Taylor (@nottmtails) August 10, 2021
Comment – Nottingham Forest must seal Johnson deal
Good youngsters are always going to come onto the radar of bigger clubs. In some ways it is the nature of the beast.
A player like Brennan Johnson, who drops down a level and performs as he did in League One for Lincoln City, is always going to attract attention.
That level of performance has attracted the aforementioned attention of Brentford. The Bees are said to be serious in their interest.
In truth, Nottingham Forest need to surpass that ‘serious’ level of interest shown by the Londoners. They have the rest of this month to ensure this is done.
It is a positive that money isn’t at the root of this ‘impasse’ and delayed agreement of the deal that has been offered.
Journalist/Writer Taylor indicates that the money part of the deal is all done; it is other parts that aren’t. These elements are the length of the deal being offered and any future release clause that would need to be met.
Nottingham Forest obviously need to seal this deal to keep the rated Johnson at the City Ground. However, the Reds also must get this deal over the line as it would highlight the serious intent they have this season.
Should they not manage to tie down a new deal for him, then their intentions for this season must be questioned.
