Sammy Ameobi’s future at Nottingham Forest remains up in the air, with his one-year contract set to come to and this month.
It’s likely that Forest and Ameobi will agree an extension to his deal to enable him to play a part in the remaining nine games of the Championship season, which begin with a trip to Sheffield Wednesday next Saturday.
Ameobi is one of a number of players in Sabri Lamouchi’s first team squad which see their current deals expire in theory, on June 30, along with Michael Dawson, Ben Watson and Jordan Smith, and it’s been reported by The Athletic that meaningful discussions over Ameobi’s future are yet to take place.
The 28-year-old who arrived on a free transfer last summer after leaving stricken Bolton Wanderers, effectively has nine games to convince the City Ground hierarchy that he is deserving of a new deal, having impressed throughout the campaign often on the left side of Lamouchi's midfield.
Smith is expected to leave the club he joined as a teenager in the coming weeks, while Liam Bridcutt’s season has finished at Lincoln City and will almost certainly move on in search of a move elsewhere.
Watson, meanwhile, is understood to have been offered a new one-year deal with the club also keen to retain the services of Dawson, with Lamouchi particularly desperate to see him remain at Forest, who have until Tuesday week to inform out of contract players of their future intentions.
“I could talk about Michael Dawson every week and every day. I am so surprised by him,” Lamouchi told Nottinghamshire Live before the season was halted.
“He is a fantastic player, but also a fantastic man.
“I was a player before but I never played with players like him, with this mentality. If he plays, he is positive. If he doesn’t play, he is positive as well. He is positive with everybody.
“He is very smart, very clever and very important.
“He likes the club. He likes the dressing room. He likes the football; it is his passion.
“For me, if I was the owner - but I am not the owner - I would keep him for the rest of his career and for the future.
“He needs to do something with the club - it is very important for his second life (after playing), for him. But also (important), for the club - they can find a good relationship for the future all together, club and Michael Dawson .”
