Nottingham Forest are monitoring Plymouth Argyle striker Luke Jephcott, reports The Athletic.
The 20-year-old has netted 12 goals in 17 League One outings this season and was in the starting line-up to face Huddersfield in the FA Cup last weekend.
Carlos Corberan’s side were linked with Jephcott ahead of this transfer window. The Terriers having lost Josh Koroma through injury have seemingly lost their spark in-front of goal and Jephcott was a rumoured January target.
Speaking to Yorkshire Live earlier in the month though, Corberan seemingly ruled Huddersfield out of a move for Jephcott:
“I think as a club we need to first of all analyse very well our squad and analyse very well where are the possibilities in the squad and that the market can give to us.
“Of course, we know that we lost two centre-backs during this part of the year (Richard Stearman and Christopher Schindler) and we lost Koroma too, one of the wingers.
“But always one of the positive things for me with the squad right now is that we have players that can cover these positions.”
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That leaves the door open for Nottingham Forest to swoop in for Jephcott. But Argyle boss Ryan Lowe issued a stern hands-off warning before the window opened:
He’s our player, he’s Plymouth Argyle’s player. He’s not going anywhere any time soon,” Lowe told The Plymouth Herald.
“He’s still not the finished article. He has still got a lot to learn. Any goalscorer is going to get recognised but we are not in a position that we need to sell anyone.”
Plymouth currently sit in 15th-place of the League One table. Lowe had come under the radar of Sheffield Wednesday earlier in the season and his side have seemingly struggled to recover from that.
Chris Hughton at Nottingham Forest meanwhile is starting to turn things around. They’re five unbeaten in the Championship and six in all competitions, sitting in 20th-place of the Championship table and with a three point buffer.
More goals are needed though. Lyle Taylor has become an increasingly contested name and whilst Lewis Grabban has since returned, Forest need fresh ideas up-front.
Jephcott at 20-years-old no doubt has potential – he’s burst onto the scene this season but with Lowe so firm in his stance on the striker, it seems unlikely that Forest will table a strong enough bid to bring him in.
A summer move seems more likely. Right now though, Forest seem to be the most keen.
