Championship side Nottingham Forest have missed out on the capture of an exciting 17-year-old Romanian winger, but they're not the only English side left disappointed, according to Romanian outlet Fanatik.

League One side Sunderland have also been left in the cold by the Calin Popescu, who has opted to sign an 18-month deal with Sepsi OSK in his homeland.

He's thought to want regular first team football, something the move to Sepsi affords him.

Both clubs have had the left sided attacker on trial recently and the report suggests that he impressed on both occasions.

Popescu has bags of pace and trickery, but would have been enveloped by the Under 23 side at both English clubs.

He made his professional debut at just 15 for Romanian second-tier side FC Braşov which alerted scouts on these shores. The report claims he was accepted at both academies, but his people felt remaining in his homeland was a better option.

Sepsi finished fourth in the Romanian league last season, behind CJ Cluj, Steaua Bucharest and CS Universitatea Craiova.

The Verdict

Popescu is clearly an exciting young talent and one that may well help to bring Romanian football out of it's recent slump. In years gone by they were a strong force, but their recent history has not been impressive.

It's been a long while since they've had such an exciting young talent on which to pin their hopes, but will remaining in Romania be the best move for him and his country in the longer term?