The Athletic has claimed that Sam Surridge would prefer to stay at Nottingham Forest and fight for his place in Steve Cooper’s team. The Reds talisman has been linked with both Burnley and Sunderland already during the current transfer window.
It would seem that a move isn’t close though. Surridge is keen to get his head down and work hard for a place at Forest, instead of heading back to the Championship.
Surridge was signed a year ago by the Reds. He joined on transfer deadline day in January and bagged eight goals as Forest won promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.
The 24-year-old hasn’t played much football though. He’s only started one Premier League game and as a youngster keen to continue learning his trade that isn’t enough.
Both Burnley and Sunderland would provide attractive options. The duo are riding high in the second tier and both have promotion ambitions that they’d love to complete this season.
But it would appear that Surridge isn’t thinking of a departure. Despite fluffing his lines against Blackpool yesterday, he is keen to stay at the City Ground beyond the window closing.
Surridge would prefer Forest stay
The Forest striker would be wise to be careful about what he wishes for. If he sticks at the City Ground, it’s fair to say he won’t be playing much football during the second half of the season.
Surridge needs game time. He showcased at Blackpool that he’s rusty and missed several chances that last season he would bury with his eyes firmly closed.
Cooper is a big fan of Surridge. In the build-up to the FA Cup clash, he said: “We love Sam. He is so popular around the training ground. He’s a fantastic professional.”
That might not be enough to earn him more chances though, particularly in the Premier League. As a result, Surridge has a big decision to make in the coming weeks.