Despite their struggles in recent years, one positive aspect of Nottingham Forest has always been its ability to produce highly talented players like Ben Brereton within its academy. Fawaz Al-Hasawi’s five-year ownership that ended this summer was undoubtedly turbulent, but this was one factor that was never affected by his mismanagement.
Former Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka has recently been named as Mark Warburton’s successor. He will inherit a squad full of young talent that may need some experience to make a real push for promotion to the Premier League.
The 18-year-old striker has already started to gain the attention of several Premier League sides. He made his breakthrough at The City Ground last season and has continued to impress with the quality of his performances ever since.
We look at why he attracts so much interest from the top flight.
A Standout Performance Against Arsenal
Under Gary Brazil’s management, the Reds pulled off one of the biggest shocks of the FA Cup third round last weekend. They knocked holders Arsenal out of the competition by beating the Gunners 4-2 at The City Ground. It was a hugely impressive performance from Forest, with a number of their young players standing out.
A total of five academy products were part of the starting line-up, including Jordan Smith, Joe Worrall, Matty Cash, Ben Osborn, and Brereton. Another product of Forest’s academy, Tyler Walker, also came off the bench and impacted in the second half. However, Brereton gained the most attention for the trouble he caused Arsene Wenger’s side throughout.
Experienced defender and World Cup winner Per Mertesacker simply could not cope with his pace and power. His performance earned him the Man of the Match award and will have impressed many top-flight scouts who may have been paying close attention.
Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, Crystal Palace, Leicester City, and Liverpool are all said to be monitoring the striker’s progress.
Ben Brereton Has Plenty of Room for Improvement
After witnessing his performance against one of the Premier League’s top sides, it is easy to forget that Brereton is just 18 years old. He still has so much more to learn and so many aspects of his game to develop, which makes his potential even more exciting.
We have yet to see if any Premier League sides will table a bid for the striker during this transfer window. However, one can argue that the best place for Brereton to continue his development is at The City Ground under new manager Karanka, as the Spaniard looks to turn Forest’s fortunes around and help them move closer to the play-off places.
If he continues to develop as he is, his time to shine in the top flight will most definitely come in the coming years. However, everyone connected with Forest will hope that it can be with them.