Nottingham Forest boss Chris Hughton hopes forgotten summer signing Abdoulaye Diallo can provide some goalkeeping competition in the remaining weeks of the season.
The 28-year-old has yet to make a single first-team appearance or be included in a matchday squad for the Reds.
He made the move to the City Ground in September, while Sabri Lamouchi was still in charge, signing as a free agent after leaving Turkish side Genclerbirligi.
Since then, he has found himself third-choice stopper behind Brice Samba and Jordan Smith, and has been hampered by injury problems.
But the Senegal international has featured twice for the club’s Under-23s, most recently playing the full 90 minutes last week as Forest lost 1-0 to Birmingham City.
And Hughton was pleased to see Diallo get some valuable game time for Andy Reid’s side.
“It’s been frustrating for him and for us,” he told NottinghamshireLive.
“This is a player who was brought in during the summer, and during the first half of the season I didn’t see so much of him because he was injured.
“They weren’t big injuries he had, they were ones he just kept tweaking.
“That’s been a little bit frustrating for him and us because I haven’t really had the opportunity to consistently see him.
“But hopefully he can have a run now, because we do need that competition.
“The moment we feel we’re okay in that department, you can get an injury and then other goalkeepers have got to step up to the mark.
“It’s good to see him back playing and training.”
