Sabri Lamouchi's "frustration" with Joao Carvalho's attitude is said to be the reason the £13.2m record signing has been frozen out at Nottingham Forest.
Carvalho last started for the Reds in March, in their 3-0 defeat to Millwall at the City Ground - and has made only one sub appearance since, against Huddersfield at the end of last month.
He was left out of the squad completely for their final three matches of the campaign, as Forest tried to seal a place in the Championship play-offs.
And The Athletic claim his absence is down to his attitude.
“There has been much speculation over why the club’s record signing Joao Carvalho has not had much of an opportunity to show what he can do under Lamouchi," they report.
“But The Athletic understands that the exile of the midfielder was partly down to Lamouchi’s frustration over the Portuguese’s attitude.
“While other players would react with determination at being left out of the side, it is understood Carvalho did not knock on Lamouchi’s door to ask for an explanation or appear to put in any significant extra graft on the training ground.”
