Nottingham Forest are hoping to sell Jonjo Shelvey during the summer transfer window after just five months at the City Ground. The Reds haven’t picked the midfielder since April when he refused to take his place on the bench for the game against Liverpool at Anfield.
The 31-year-old is now in limbo on Trentside. He has two years left on his contract but he’s not going to be part of Steve Cooper’s squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
According to The Times, Forest are keen to sell him. They don’t want a fortune for his services but the head coach isn’t keen for him to stay at the football club.
Shelvey was signed as an experienced option during the January transfer window. He was given his best wishes by Newcastle, with their supporters showing their appreciation when he said his goodbyes on the pitch.
He had spent several years at St James’ Park, helping them win promotion and stabilise as a Premier League club. It was, however, clear from the outset at Forest that this move was destined to fail.
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Remarkably, Shelvey has played in eight games for Forest. The Reds haven’t won any of the games he’s featured in, drawing two and losing six, with the midfielder making several high-profile errors.
The player wasn’t cheap. Although the transfer fee didn’t break the bank, it’s reported that he’s earning more than £70,000-a-week at Forest since his move from Newcastle.
At the end of the season, the morale within the squad seemed sky-high. Shelvey, however, kept his distance and last week he wasn’t spotted in a training ground photo that seemed to show every other Forest player.
Forest hoping to sell Shelvey but it won’t be easy
This signing couldn’t have gone much worse. His biggest errors came against Everton at home and during the defeat at Aston Villa when he essentially teed up a Villa player.
Shelvey’s attitude has been nothing short of a disgrace. The fact he expected to play at Liverpool just a few days after that Villa error speaks volumes about the man.
Forest might want to get rid of him, but the difficult aspect is finding a club to take him. This deal smacks of the one that saw Harry Arter sign for the club in 2020 and he’s now hanging around the City Ground.
Hopefully, Forest can get something done this summer. The sooner Shelvey has departed the club the better it will be for all parties.