Nottingham Forest would have been hoping to see summer signing Rodrigo Ely finally get some minutes under his belt soon but Steve Cooper has revealed to Nottinghamshire Live that the defender now has a new injury worry to deal with and it will mean he is out of action for even longer.

The 27-year-old looked like he was reaching match fitness again, which was a huge boost for Forest, as they look to have as many squad options available as possible.

He was set to feature for the club in an Under-23 tie in the next stage of his recovery to see how he fared being given actual gametime - but Steve Cooper has now revealed that the player didn't feature due to another fresh injury concern.

It means that Ely will now be setback in his recovery yet again - and it also means the wait will have to go on for the player in terms of getting some playing time in the Championship.

Speaking to Nottinghamshire Live about the injury, Cooper said: "Rodrigo has had another setback, unfortunately.

“He was due to play for the Under-23s tonight, but he’s now not available. He’s having to have a scan on a muscle injury, so we’ll find out how long he will be out for.

"I wouldn’t say it’s serious, as in long-term. But he does need to have a scan on his quad."

Ely has yet to make a single appearance for his new side and it now looks like any gametime with them may be even further away than before. The 27-year-old has played across Europe for the likes of AC Milan and Deportivo Alaves and his experience in doing so could be invaluable to Nottingham Forest.

For now though, the player and the side will have to be content with nursing him back to full health again - and hope he can make an impact upon his return.

The Verdict

Rodrigo Ely has had some torrid luck with injuries and this is another blow for both the player and the club. He would no doubt have liked to have made his debut by now but it hasn't been the case.

However, it will just make the defender even more determined to really make his mark when he is able to feature. He is already liked by the club's fans and his experience throughout his career to date could certainly make him a key player when he does eventually reach full fitness.