This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Nottingham Forest are open to sanctioning a permanent move for right-back Mohamed Drager during the upcoming summer window, according to a report from Nottinghamshire Live.

The Tunisian arrived at the City Ground in the latter stages of August but failed to make a single first-team appearance before being shipped out on loan to Swiss outfit Luzern, where he became a key first-teamer.

Registering three goals and seven assists in 17 league appearances for his former loan side, that impressive record potentially looked set to place him back into first-team contention at the City Ground.

 

 

However, Djed Spence is a top target for the promoted side this summer after playing an integral part in their 2021/22 campaign and with Richie Laryea available as a backup option, it's perhaps no surprise that officials in the East Midlands would be open to selling Drager in the coming months.

Is this the right stance for Steve Cooper's side to take though? Or should they be looking to give him an opportunity to shine in pre-season after enjoying a successful spell in Switzerland?

We asked three of our writers at Football League World for their thoughts on Forest's stance and if he has unfinished business at the City Ground.

Ned Holmes

This is one of those situations where it is just best to draw a line under it and move on.

Transfers can be a bit of a lottery – sometimes you win and sometimes you lose – but ahead of Nottingham Forest's return to the Premier League, it's right that they're looking to shift Drager.

If he had no part in Steve Cooper's plans in the Championship, why would anything be different as the club prepare to take a step up into the top flight?

We can expect a busy summer and getting rid of Drager would surely allow more space for new arrivals.

Obviously with Djed Spence's situation unclear there may be a need for a right-sided defender but Cooper got a look at him and sanctioned his move away in the winter window so it would be a surprise to see him brought back into the fray.

If the Welshman feels he can offer something then perhaps he's worth trying out in pre-season but if not then it's time to move him on.

Declan Harte

Drager wasn’t given the chance to prove himself at Forest last season, but did perform well during his loan stint in Switzerland.

If worst comes to the worst, he could still offer a body for Steve Cooper’s side and could be a good backup option in the squad.

However, a sale is probably the best move for both parties given he was signed under a different manager and Cooper has shown no desire to utilise the player.

It is likely that Forest will make a loss in any possible sale, but some funds earned from a sale could still be useful as it could be reinvested back into improving the squad ahead of the Premier League season.

Billy Mulley

I am slightly conflicted by this one.

Nottingham Forest have consistently been ambitious when it has come to their recent seasons in the Championship, so you would have thought that their business from the summer would have had the Premier League in mind.

Perhaps it is just a move that has not worked out, which of course is fairly common.

Drager represented a risk that has not really worked out, but it is safe to say that is not a theme that has run through the club over the last 12 months.

Maybe he will get a chance in pre-season but you can only expect Nottingham Forest to improve from the positions they are in at the moment, therefore making it less likely that Drager will be part of future plans.