Sabri Lamouchi is planning to raid Nottingham Forest to sign Jordan Smith during the summer, according to the Stoke Sentinel. Stoke City are also keen on signing the goalkeeper on a free transfer.
The Reds custodian was allowed to join Huddersfield Town on loan in January. As a result, he’s likely played his last game for the club that he’s been at for around 20 years.
Smith is yet to feature for the Terriers, with Neil Warnock now in charge. He’s very much viewed as a backup option and he had fallen way down the pecking order during his time at the City Ground.
The 28-year-old has been with Forest for over two decades. He signed as a schoolboy and has risen through the ranks to make 54 appearances for the Reds senior team.
It does seem highly unlikely that Forest will keep him beyond the end of his current contract which expires in the summer. Now, Stoke and Cardiff are both eyeing a move to sign him when his City Ground deal ends.
Smith has earned praise for his professionalism in the past. When Mark Warburton was at the club he called him ‘outstanding’ when handing him a new contract and making him his first-choice goalkeeper.
Lamouchi planning Forest raid for Smith
The French manager is getting his feet under the table at Cardiff. The Bluebirds have won their last two games and are starting to pull clear of the Championship relegation zone.
Smith has been a good servant to Forest. At 28-years-old, however, the time has come for him to start playing regular football and he won’t be doing that at Forest any time soon.
The goalkeeper may find the Championship a useful step for him. Even if he’s a backup option at Cardiff or Stoke, he will fancy playing a fair amount of football in the second tier.
It seems unlikely that Forest will be offering him a new contract any time soon. Forest’s decision to loan out Smith to Huddersfield suggests his days at Forest are numbered and the summer will surely be the time for him to depart.