Martin O’Neill has dropped a broad hint that Diogo Goncalves is unlikely to remain at Nottingham Forest beyond the end of his loan spell.
The Reds boss regards the winger as being a young man with talent.
But he has featured only as a peripheral figure during his loan spell at the City Ground, firstly under Aitor Karanka and then again since O’Neill took charge, starting only one Championship game, while making a further six appearances as a substitute.
Goncalves did start three games in the EFL Cup, but was shown a red card in one of those, as Forest beat Stoke 3-2.
The suggestion in Portugal is that parent club Benfica are keen to include the 22-year-old in their first team plans for next season.
And when asked about the player’s future, O’Neill said: “Diogo has obviously not featured a great deal here, both in my time and in my previous manager’s time.
“He definitely has a bit of talent, there is no question about that.
“He is a player who is here on loan at the moment. Benfica may well want him back next season and we would have no option about that.”
Goncalves was one of three high-profile Portuguese signings last summer, with Gil Dias arriving on loan from Monaco on loan and Joao Carvalho becoming the club’s record signing, following his 15m euro move from Benfica.
Dias did make more of an impact, making 13 starts and 11 sub appearances in all competitions, while scoring a solitary goal against Newcastle in the EFL Cup, but saw his deal terminated in January, before being allowed to join Olympiacos on loan.
Carvalho has been the most successful of the trio, making 25 Championship starts and seven sub appearances, while scoring four goals.
He has been more of a fringe figure since O’Neill took charge, but the Reds boss has frequently spoken of the 22-year-old’s considerable potential, once he has properly acclimatised to the demands of the Championship - and Carvalho is understood to remain part of the club’s plans.
