A report from The Athletic has claimed that ex-Nottingham Forest boss Chris Hughton had doubts over whether Brennan Johnson was ready for Championship football.
The Reds star has made a mockery of that theory and made his former manager look very foolish in the process.
Johnson has been a Championship revelation and on Sunday he was named the Young Player of the Year in the Championship.
The talented 20-year-old has featured in every single league game this season, scoring 16 goals and claiming 10 assists.
Now, the Premier League vultures are circling. Brentford saw four bids knocked back in January, with Newcastle, Leeds, West Ham and Tottenham all thought to be keen.
Forest could be forced into a sale during the summer. The trickster will have just a single year remaining on his current deal at the end of the current campaign.
The Reds are still chasing a place in the Premier League next season. Completing that mission would almost certainly see Forest keep hold of Johnson.
The talented individual spent last season on loan with Lincoln. There he scored 13 goals and claimed 14 assists as the Imps reached the League One play-off final.
Former Forest man is dusted after Johnson theory
It’s really quite remarkable that Hughton didn’t rate Johnson and that alone should rule him out of another job in English football.
The man who promotion with Newcastle, Norwich and Brighton has clearly lost his touch and his style of play was mind-numbingly boring.
Hughton didn’t do a lot right at Forest. Had he stayed, Johnson might not even have played as much given his feelings towards the talent.
The Reds have been fortunate to have Johnson. Without his goal contributions this season, who knows where the team would be.
It would be an uncertain time in the summer but they will hope to keep him for a little while longer.