Nottingham Forest manager Aitor Karanka has revealed that he would like to sign goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon on a permanent basis in the summer.

The giant keeper made a loan move from Watford in January and whilst he only has one clean sheet to his name, the Romanian international has impressed with several strong performances.

And, speaking to the Nottingham Post, Karanka revealed he only wants players who want to play at the City Ground next year - of which Pantilimon is one.

"I want to have the players who want to stay here; who want to be here. Costel has said to me, from the first minute, that he was coming here because he wanted to be here."

Whilst the ex-Boro boss was cautious in his response as to whether a deal would be done, he admitted he is a fan of the stopper.

"Let’s see what happens, because he is a very good man, he is a very good goalkeeper and a very good professional."

The former Manchester City keeper delivered a commanding performance as Forest beat Birmingham 2-1 yesterday.

The Verdict

There were big changes at Forest in January and you have to say most of the signings appear to be making a positive impact, including Pantilimon.

He knows English football well and has settled instantly, so keeping him has to be a priority in the summer for Karanka.

Clearly, the keeper is glad to be at Forest too, so there's no reason a deal can't get done.

Thoughts, Forest fans? Let us know in the comments below.

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