Brennan Johnson will be “in the reckoning” for Nottingham Forest next term as boss Chris Hughton looks to put a squad together in the summer.
The 19-year-old has been firing on all cylinders on loan at Lincoln City, taking his goal tally for the campaign to 12 in 41 appearances when he bagged the first hat-trick of his career on Tuesday night.
Hughton has been monitoring his progress closely, along with keeping tabs on all the other Reds players out on loan.
They will get the chance to stake a claim for a place in the Forest first-team when the manager runs the rule over them at close hand in pre-season.
And asked how that affects any other transfer business he may look to do, Hughton told NottinghamshireLive: “It doesn’t affect my thinking, because it’s how I think anyway.
“For as much as possible, if we have got young players that are doing well, then that’s the reason you send them out on loan.
“You send them out on loan so they can come into your thoughts and you can consider them.
“But ultimately, at the end, the biggest consideration will be, we have a real tough Championship season next year - and if anything this division is getting tougher. And what I want is the most competitive squad I can to be able to compete.
“If those young players we have spoken about, who have come back after being on loan, have done well enough to adjust my thinking, then it’s because it’s the right thing.
“All of these decisions are ones we’ll give a lot of thought to.
“Most importantly, they have gone out and done well, and they will have put themselves in the reckoning.”
Hughton weighed up whether to recall Johnson from his spell with the Imps in January.
With the Reds in the midst of a relegation battle and struggling for goals, the Wales international was a potential solution to their problems.
Ultimately, it was decided the teenager would be best staying where he was, with Forest bringing in Filip Krovinovic on loan from Benfica.
“I would have to say it was one that I considered, but it wasn’t one that I wanted to do,” said Hughton, who was recently able to have Johnson back to spend a couple of days training with the group.
“As we progressed through the month, it was one that I always had to be open with, in case we weren't able to bring somebody in.
“But I didn’t want to do it - he’s in a good place at the moment; they’ve looked after him, they’ve played him in games and he’s doing well.
“For me, it’s one that has worked out really well.
“We were able to bring in Filip in January, in what I see as a similar type of position.
“I considered it, but didn’t really want to bring him (Johnson) back.”
