Nottingham Forest manager Sabri Lamouchi has admitted that goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon and attacking midfielder Zach Clough could still get the chance to feature for the club's first team this season, although he does not believe that is certain to happen.

The pair were both linked with moves away from The City Ground during the summer transfer window, with Greek outfit Olympiacos said to be interested in Pantlimon, while Clough was thought to have attracted attention from League Two Oldham.

But despite allowing no fewer than 16 senior players to leave either permanently or on loan, both Pantilimon and Clough are still currently at the club, although neither have played a single minute of first-team football this season.

Asked whether it was possible that that could change, Lamouchi seemed to suggest he has yet to make a decision on the issue, as he told the Nottinghamshire Post: “Maybe. Maybe yes, maybe not."

Pantilimon was a regular between the posts for Forest last season, but has now lost his place in the side to summer signings Brice Samba and Aro Muric, while Clough has spent time on loan with Bolton and Rochdale since moving to The City Ground in January 2017.

The midfielder has featured for the club's Under 23s side since returning to Forest this summer, scoring in a recent meeting with Ipswich, although Lamouchi refused to be drawn on whether that could bring him back into first-team contention, as he continued: “Yes, he did (do well).

“But there are two philosophies, and my philosophy is very simple - to try to work with my group and not have a lot of change or movement.

“We need to work hard and we need to achieve our target."

Discussing what his next target was, the Forest boss revealed: “Our target for this month is six games (before the next international break), and in these six games we need to be ready and we need to be focused. Just that.”

Forest currently sit tenth in the Championship standings with three wins and three draws from their opening seven games of the season, and are next in action when they host Barnsley at The City Ground on Saturday afternoon.

The Verdict

I can't see either of these two really getting too many opportunities any time soon to be honest.

Forest have started the season in encouraging style, and after beating the then league leaders Swansea City on Saturday on Saturday afternoon, there may be some around the club confident they can push on from that this season.

As a result, I can't see them wanting to alter that winning formula too much, and that could be bad news for both Pantilimon and Clough as they look to force their way back into the side.

I do have some sympathy for the pair here, as they will both want to be getting as much first-team action as possible, and I wonder if there could be movement on the transfer front with regards to these two once the window reopens in January if things do not change soon.