‘We really like him’: Steve Cooper wowed by 28-year-old Nottingham Forest man

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Steve Cooper has given the lowdown on the specialist programme that Gustavo Scarpa is working on at Nottingham Forest. The Brazilian has checked in from Palmeiras and will be itching to make his debut once he officially becomes a Reds player in January.

Scarpa has been a long-term target of Forest. The terms of the deal were thought to have been agreed on in the summer; with the player holding a desire to finish the season with Palmeiras who were pushing to claim the Brazilian title.

The club were victorious at a canter in their title race. Scarpa scored 13 goals and registered 15 assists during the 2022 campaign and now heads to Forest full of confidence and ready to help the Reds try and retain their Premier League status.

The 28-year-old forward won’t be able to make his debut for a couple of weeks yet. As a result, Cooper has been discussing where the player is at and when supporters can expect to see him in action.

He told Nottinghamshire Live: “He’s on a bit of a different programme, because he’s new in and he’s slightly behind with his fitness, plus he can’t play for a couple of weeks.

“We’re having to give other players more starts than him – and he knows that; I’ve had a good chat with him about his programme.

“It’s been a real whirlwind. He comes over from Brazil and is straight to Athens, then we were out to Spain. He’s hardly had time to settle.

“But he’s making a good impression. We really like working with him, both on and off the pitch.”

Cooper has given lowdown on Scarpa

The Reds’ fan base will be intrigued to see what the player is capable of. He looks like an exciting signing and the fact he’s left-footed implies that he will bring some balance to the attack.

Scarpa also seems like a good character. It doesn’t seem as though he’s stopped smiling since he checked in at Forest and clearly, he’s delighted to be at the club.

Although the Brazilian hasn’t played in Europe, that shouldn’t be a problem. The player isn’t considered a young player with potential and the fact he’s 28 should mean he’s in his prime.

Cooper will know how best to utilise the player. With that in mind, it will be intriguing to see what part he plays between now and the end of the 2022/23 campaign.