Nottingham Forest skipper Henri Lansbury has been one of the hottest transfer prospects this January with numerous clubs queuing up to get the midfielders’ signature as he has only six months left on his contract with Forest.
However, his potential destination is a big question mark as his current club’s tussle with prospective new American owners has left his future pretty much undecided. While the current owner, Fawaz Al Hasawi, has finalised a deal with Steve Bruce to let the 26-year-old join Villa Park, the American owners are in advanced talks to sell Lansbury to local rivals Derby.
Lansbury is undoubtedly a brilliant midfielder, who can be a real impact in whichever side he goes, and both the clubs are vying for his signature. Although he is yet to decided his next terminus, the only thing sure is that he is willing to leave Forest as the club has struggled for real from this Championship season.
He has scored six goals in 19 appearances this season, including a hat-trick in a 5-2 win over Barnsley. He has created 29 chances so far completing 519 passes with a pass accuracy of 75%, of which 87% were forward passes. In English football, Lansbury has 46 goals and 31 assists in 249 appearances.
Derby County’s bid for Lansbury, which was in the region of £2.5m, has been already rejected and they are preparing a fresh bid. On the other hand, it is reported that the former Arsenal player has already agreed on personal terms move to the west midlands to link up with Steve Bruce.
The fierce rivalry between Nottingham and Derby County will be a big stumbling block for Lansbury’s transfer but apparently, Forest’s prospective owner aren’t really understanding the historical competitiveness between the clubs.
The current owner, Fawaz, seems to share the same mentality of the fans as he has stated that he will never sell the club captain to bitter local rivals at any price. While both Villa and Derby are in a better position than Forest who are just two points above the drop zone, Derby have a much better chance of getting to the playoffs.
However, reportedly the prospective owner John Jay Moores and co, are trying to influence the club’s decision and it seems like Derby County just might win the race. Premier League outfits like Watford and Birmingham City are also known admirers of the midfielder and if Derby are really keen on landing Lansbury, they have to make a move and fast.
