Nottingham Forest will give serious thought to sending 21-year-old Baba Fernandes out on loan this summer but 20-year-old Jayden Richardson may remain at the club until at least January, according to The Athletic. 

Both players made their debut as part of the youthful side that beat League Two outfit Bradford City 2-1 at the City Ground last night to earn a place in the second round of the EFL Cup.

Fernandes, who signed from Portuguese club Vitória Setúbal last summer, started at centre-back against Bradford while Richardson is naturally a right-back but played all 90 minutes on the left last night, hinting that Chris Hughton could turn to him while Gaetan Bong is suspended.

The Athletic has reported that Forest were leaning towards sending the 20-year-old academy product out on loan once again this season but that given the lack of options at left-back, they may keep him with the senior squad and reassess his situation in January.

Fernandes, meanwhile, could be on the move before the window closes as the Reds are said to be giving serious thought to allowing him to leave on loan.

The Verdict

On the back of a strong performance against Bradford yesterday and with Bong suspended, it makes sense that Hughton would look to keep Richardson at the City Ground for the time being.

The Forest boss isn't particularly short of options at centre-back, however, and with that in mind it seems the right plan of action to look to get Fernandes some regular senior football after he impressed as well in the EFL Cup.

When it comes to the young players coming through at Forest, there is certainly a lot to be excited about – even beyond the likes of Alex Mighten and Brennan Johnson.