Derby County triggering a 12-month option on Lee Buchanan’s contract appears to have ended Nottingham Forest’s interest in signing the left-back this summer. 

The Rams are League One bound and in serious financial trouble, as their takeover saga continues to generate headlines.

However, as per Derbyshire Live, they’ve managed to extend Buchanan’s contract and tie him down to the club for 2022/23.

A report from The Athletic has since confirmed that Derby managing to tie Buchanan down, combined with Forest having three previous bids rejected, has ended the interest in the player for now at the City Ground.

Forest, though, do want to add a new left-back to Steve Cooper’s squad, having seen Max Lowe return to Sheffield United at the end of his loan in Nottingham.

 

Quiz: Can you name which club these 27 ex-Derby County players are playing for now?

 

Buchanan made 30 appearances in the Championship last season for Wayne Rooney, with the 21-year-old furthering his growing experience at a young age.

Since a goalscoring debut in 2019 against Scunthorpe United, Buchanan has gone on to make 75 appearances across all competitions for the Rams.

He is one of only a handful of players to be contracted to the club heading into the 2022/23 campaign.

The Verdict 

Given Forest’s lack of luck bringing Buchanan in to date, it’s little surprise that they’ve walked away from a deal.

It’s proved to be a difficult one to do for the Reds and, in fairness to them, now they are a Premier League club, they can probably be a touch more ambitious with where to spend their money.

For Derby, it’s a mini-win at this stage, although it’s hard to get too upbeat given the lingering uncertainty surrounding the club.

Thoughts? Let us know!