Nottingham Forest’s January transfer market has been quiet in terms of incoming and exiting acquisitions, but that could change as deadline day approaches.
Andrew Omobamidele has signed on loan for Strasbourg in France, Evangelos Marinakis’ only commercial transaction thus far, with Monday’s deadline rapidly approaching.
Marinakis still wants to acquire a striker to help Forest maintain their third-place position in the Premier League table, a move that would have been expedited by the club’s 5-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday.
In an attempt to flex the club’s financial muscle, Forest made Matheus Cunha their main priority for arrivals in the last days of the window, although exits from the City Ground appear to be quiet.
Forest have no plans to move Taiwo Awoniyi, despite Premier League interest, suggesting that the Forest first-team roster would remain intact after Monday.
However, one trade that could be completed includes a player who is already on loan from Forest and is looking to move on from a catastrophic loan term.
Josh Bowler will leave Preston North End after terrible loan spell
The French media praised Omobamidele’s Strasbourg debut, but the same cannot be said for Josh Bowler, who has struggled on loan at Preston North End since his summer transfer.
Preston experts have questioned Bowler since he joined the Championship club, prompting the Lancashire Post to report on his departure from Deepdale.
The report said: “Josh Bowler is close to ending his spell at Preston North End and joining another Championship club on loan.
“Bowler joined North End on transfer deadline day in the summer and became boss Paul Heckingbottom’s first signing at Deepdale. But, his time at Preston has been a frustrating one with 660 minutes managed across 13 appearances in all competitions.”
Even Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom appeared glad that Bowler would be leaving, with the story stating that the manager conceded Bowler had “fallen victim” to Preston’s transition to “a different system that didn’t suit his playing style.”
Preston wanted to cancel Bowler’s loan before the opportunity ever opened, so no one should be surprised. Whether Bowler succeeds on his next loan remains to be seen, but his recent performances make a future under Espirito Santo at Forest improbable.
Josh Bowler has rarely impressed while on loan at Nottingham Forest.
Bowler was immediately loaned to Olympiacos in Greece, a club owned by Marinakis, after arriving from Blackpool during Steve Cooper’s chaotic 2022 summer window.
Bowler did not score a single goal before returning to Blackpool on loan in January, where he failed to produce the form that drew Forest to recruit him.
Bowler’s five goals on loan at Cardiff City earned him acclaim from the Cardiff media, but his stay at Preston this season has returned him to the heights of form he demonstrated on prior loans.
Bowler may excel at his next temporary club, but his future as a member of the Forest coaching staff appears unlikely.
