As Nottingham Forest limp towards survival following a dismal season at The City Ground, both fans and players will begin their post-mortem on what has been a disastrous campaign for the Reds.

Survival was secured on the final day of the previous campaign in a 4-0 mauling of Ipswich Town and fans grew excited as saviour Mark Warburton was handed the keys to the safe to launch a busy summer transfer window in which a number of new faces linked up with the East Midlands side.

A few months down the line however Warburton was gone, with former Boro boss Aitor Karanka his replacement.

Not much has changed under the Spaniard and teenage striker Ben Brereton will be one of those within the squad left pondering what might have been.

The 18-year-old has endured a poor season leading the line in Nottinghamshire and these questions could be running through his head when the summer break takes hold...

All teenagers suffer with confidence issues at some stage, although admittedly Brereton's problems are a little different to that of many of his friends who will be studying for their A-Levels and degrees.

The striker has scored just three times in the league in a series of below par performances and would have certainly been out of the side should a suitable alternative have been available.

Karanka will stamp his mark on the squad this summer, utilising his European links to bring in fresh talent and Brereton will surely depart on his summer holidays concerned about his future.

For a youngster the player has done well, but the sentiment of a home-grown talent leading the line for the next fifteen years will not wash with his new boss should he not be good enough.

There aren't many 18-year-old's starting on a regular basis at this level, with clubs further up the football pyramid sure to be monitoring the player's progress over the course of the campaign.

Nottingham has proven an excellent learning ground for the conveyor belt of youngsters coming through the system at The City Ground, but the Reds are a long way from taking their game to the next level.

If an offer were to materialise, should Brereton take it?

The bench surely beckons in the Premier League but perhaps the lure of the elite level and a new pay increase will turn his head.

He may only look at the example of Oliver Burke as guidance, however, something Forest fans will be well aware of.

An England youth international, Brereton surely dreams of one day pulling on the Three Lions jersey at Wembley and leading the line for his country.

Sorry, Forest fans, but he simply won't achieve this if he remains with the Reds.

Brereton has bags of potential and although he hasn't taken the division by storm this term, his performances are promising for a man of his age.

Forest won't be promoted to the Premier League any time soon and if the player is to take his game to the next level, he must move on.

Karanka will stress his intention is to deliver promotion, but are the board willing and able to pump in the kind of money required to turn this side around, or even give Karanka time to do so?

It's unlikely.

Forest fans, can you see Brereton leaving if an offer were to materialise?