According to a recent report by the Nottingham Post (via Chronicle Live), Nottingham Forest manager Martin O’Neil is keen on signing Jack Colback, who is currently playing on loan from Newcastle United, on a permanent basis.
The same source has revealed that the English midfielder has 12 months left to run in his contract at St. James’ Park at the end of this campaign so Rafael Benitez could allow him to move permanently this summer.
Colback’s Season At A Glance
The former Sunderland talent has been a regular feature for the Tricky Trees this term but has been far from productive going forward. Colback has made a total of 39 appearances for the Midlands outfit this term, finding the back of the net three times while grabbing two assists across all competitions.
Colback’s Career In English Football
The Killingworth born talent grew up playing football in the youth ranks of Sunderland before having two loan spells with Ipswich Town. The Black Cats decided to release him back in 2014 when the Magpies decided to give him another shot in the Premier League.
Why The English Midfielder’s Permanent Exit Could Be A Good Move For Everyone Involved
However, his time at the Tyneside club has been average at best, so he was sent out on loan to Nottingham Forest at the start of this season. The Tricky Trees could benefit from acquiring a player of Colback’s experience while Newcastle can also gain by getting the English midfield ace’s name off their wage bill.
Colback has featured in 102 matches for the Magpies thus far, scoring just five goals while creating ten assists across multiple competitions. Hence, the English midfielder’s exit wouldn’t affect the Newcastle squad too much as it shouldn’t be a problem for Benitez to bring in a more proven replacement as long as the club’s owner Mike Ashley is willing to loosen his purse strings.
A permanent move to Nottingham could be a move that will benefit all parties. Colback needs to earn regular game time if he wants to stay relevant at the upper echelons of English football. Thus, making a permanent switch makes a lot of sense for him while the Magpies can finally move on in search of greener pastures by cutting some of the players who are surplus to requirements from their squad in this off-season.
