Nottingham Forest will be looking to have a strong 2018/19 with it set to be Aitor Karanka's first full year in the charge of the Reds.

The men from the City Ground would have liked to have had a better campaign last time out but they did at least see some more positive signs in the tail end of the season in terms of the future.

Indeed, defensively they look that bit more sound whilst going forwards they, at times, look strong and Karanka's task for the new campaign will be to increase their potency going forwards.

Whether any of his on-loan attackers play a part next season, though, remains to be seen.

Jason Cummings, Tyler Walker and Zach Clough are all due to return to the club and report for pre-season for the Reds.

They've been on loan at Rangers and Bolton respectively, but none really played a lot of football - limiting them to the experience they need to be Forest first-teamers on the regular.

Indeed, that appears to have frustrated Karanka, too, with him quoted by the Nottingham Post as saying:

“It has been a shame, because they have not really played.

"The young players like Walker, Clough and Cummings were on loan to play; to check them and what they could offer.

“We wanted them to report back for pre-season and show us the progress they had made."

The Verdict

Karanka evidently isn't sure what to do with these players as they've not got the experience he'd have wanted them to get on loan.

Their futures remain in the balance, then, and it is going to be interesting to see what lies in wait for them over the coming months.

Thoughts, Reds? Let us know below!