Nottingham Forest will travel to play Arsenal at the weekend but they won’t have Felipe within their ranks. The defender hasn’t played a single minute during pre-season after picking up a knee injury.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom. According to The Athletic, the Reds are hoping that they can call on Felipe very soon, with his injury rehabilitation going well.
Felipe signed for Forest during the January transfer window. He cost the club £1.8 million and was a genuine contender for the Player of the Year accolade such were his performances.
The centre-back was a brilliant addition to the ranks and he was signed at a time when Forest were desperate for defenders. He slotted seamlessly into the team and made 16 appearances for the Reds.
Now, Forest will have to make do without Felipe when they travel to the Emirates Stadium next weekend. The two-time Brazil international is out with a knee problem that has hampered his pre-season.
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Still, there is expected to be some good news in the near future. Paul Taylor from The Athletic believes that the club hope to have Felipe available sooner rather than later this season.
Forest star Felipe hoping to be fit very soon
The experienced enforcer really was a revelation last season. He struck up a fine relationship with Moussa Niakhate at the back end of the campaign and that pairing would have been ideal for the Arsenal game.
The player earned some big praise last season. During the 4-3 win over Southampton, the Reds player was called ‘sensational’ by BBC pundit Stephen Kelly and he had a point!
Forest could do with signing another central defender. Niakhate is out with a dislocated elbow; leaving Willy Boly, Joe Worrall and Scott McKenna as the three central defenders to call upon.
Felipe is the main man when it comes to the defensive unit, however. As a result, it’s got to be considered positive news that a return to the Forest setup isn’t a million miles away.