Nottingham Forest were set to offload midfielder Samba Sow before Monday's transfer deadline, but a fresh injury may have put paid to those plans, per Alan Nixon of The Sun.

The Senegal international was linked to Turkish side Erzurumspor earlier in the week, but Forest boss Chris Hughton played those rumours down, insisting that Sow is 'very much part' of his plans going forward.

But things seem to have taken a turn, with Nixon revealing that a deal was in place for the 31-year-old to depart Forest in this window, which is completely the opposite of what Hughton suggested.

A setback though may have scuppered any hopes of Forest getting rid of the midfield powerhouse, as he was hauled off before the hour mark against Barnsley yesterday due to an ankle injury.

Sow tried to run the problem off before going down again, and he was replaced by Fouad Bachirou.

He will join the likes of Jack Colback, Harry Arter and Ryan Yates in the treatment room, with Hughton running out of midfield options although Forest have just added Manchester United's James Garner to their ranks.

 

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Sow has had injury problems during his spell at the City Ground, with a knee issue ruling him out for a few months of the previous season, but whilst this particular ankle knock may not be as serious, it could play a part in a potential departure from Forest falling through.

Despite being arguably one of the club's better players, Sow is out of contract at the end of the season and it does not look like Forest want to renew his contract, which may baffle some fans.

The Verdict

Sow's departure likely won't go down well with Forest supporters - he is a fan favourite and he brings a lot of defensive strength to the engine room.

Forest though are inundated with midfielders - despite half of them not being fit - with the likes of Colback and Yates on multi-year deals and maybe the club hierarchy just don't see the point of keeping Sow around, especially with him being 32 before the start of next season.

The injury may be a bit of a blessing in disguise though in the eyes of fans who don't want him to leave, but there's also a chance that a deal goes through anyway if his injury isn't that serious.