Defender Serge Aurier will have to wait until after the international break to make his Nottingham Forest debut.
The free agent became the Reds’ 22nd signing of the summer when he put pen to paper last week. He will provide cover and competition for Neco Williams at right wing-back, as well as being able to fill in at centre-back.
But the former Villarreal man will not be available to face Fulham at the City Ground on Friday night, as he is still waiting for visa approval. That means his first appearance could be next month, when Forest return to action with a trip to Leicester City.
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“It’s close,” Reds boss Steve Cooper said of Aurier’s visa clearance. “He’s in and around the training ground now.
“He’s not available to play on Friday, because we’ve only just seen him. But he’s close to being available.
“It took a little bit longer than we would have hoped, in terms of the visa and his availability from that. But we’re nearly there.
“He’s quite a versatile player. He can play right-back, wing-back and even right centre-back. He has Premier League and big game experience, both on the international and domestic stage. It gives competition for those positions, because we did need an extra body in certain positions.
“Obviously it’s been unique, what we’ve done this summer, in terms of the amount of signings. And the pros and cons of that are obvious. But we’re embracing it and enjoying the challenge.”
In their final match before the international break, Cooper’s side will look to end a three-game losing run against the Cottagers. They fell 3-2 at home to Bournemouth last time out and currently sit 19th in the Premier League table.
Ivory Coast international Aurier started out at Lens. He also counts Toulouse, PSG and Tottenham Hotspur as his former clubs.
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