Latest Nottingham Forest transfer news as Reds boss Steve Cooper discusses summer interest in Brennan Johnson
Head coach Steve Cooper has no concerns Nottingham Forest ace Brennan Johnson might become distracted by talk about his future.
Johnson has attracted plenty of attention this summer after impressing for the Reds on the Premier League stage last term. Brentford have had two bids turned down, while Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and West Ham United have been credited with an interest in the 22-year-old.
An ankle injury sustained while on international duty with Wales kept Johnson out for a spell in pre-season. But he is fit to face Arsenal in Forest’s opening game of the campaign on Saturday, and Cooper says the attacker’s full focus is on matters on the pitch.
“Brennan loves football and loves playing,” said the Reds boss. “One of the hardest parts of the last few weeks for him while he’s been injured was that non-involvement in training and games.
Johnson played a key role in Forest securing top-flight survival last season as he bagged eight goals in the league. Cooper says the summer speculation has not been addressed in the discussions he has had with the attacker, with their conversations centred around how the Nigel Doughty Academy graduate can continue to progress.
Asked if he had spoken to Johnson about the transfer interest, Cooper said: “No, not really. I have had a lot of chats with Brennan, and all have been about his game and normal sort of programmes of work with players.
“Lots of pre-season he has been injured, so it has been more about keeping focused on his rehab, not that he needed reminding because he is a really, really good professional who was really committed to getting back fit as quickly as he could. No conversations out of the norm from me
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