Nottingham Forest boss offers surprise comment on future of Yohan Benalouane

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Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi has told Nottinghamshire Live that injured defender Yohan Benalouane can be important for the team.

It is the broadest hint yet by the manager that the Tunisia international could still have a future at the City Ground.

Benalouane signed for the club last January at a time when defensive options were running dry and although he did a job for Forest, he was largely erratic.

Following a sending off against Sheffield United at Easter, he would sit out the last three matches of the season. He has picked up an injury in training since and hasn’t returned to action since.

With the 32-year-old edging closer away from the treatment table, Lamouchi has offered a surprising update.

He told Nottinghamshire Live: “I know the character and I know the player. He can be important.

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“But for the moment I just want to focus on the available players because we have a game to play against Luton and then Derby and after the international break we start again. It is step by step.”

The experienced defender played 14 games for the Reds last term. He did a decent job during a tough time but was largely erratic.

FFP could be telling

This hint from Lamouchi that he could have a part to play will still come as a shock to some supporters, however, especially in a week where Alex Milosevic was released from his contract.

Benalouane would only be the fifth choice should he now return so on that basis it would seem a little bit strange to keep him at the City Ground. With the squad bloated, many supporters would rather he was offloaded.

A lot could depend on whether a club wants his services. As Benalouane was signed for a transfer fee releasing him from his contract is a little bit more problematic with financial fair play regulations.

The man who was part of  Leicester City side that reached the Champions League quarter-final is behind Joe Worrall, Michael Dawson, Chema Rodriguez and Tobias Figueiredo in the pecking order. If he does stick around, he won’t find regular football easy to come by.