Nottingham Forest facing player registration issue before Leeds United visit as deadline looms

The Whites visit the East Midlands looking for a first Premier League win at the City Ground and hoping to avoid a third consecutive defeat on Nottingham Forest’s home turf. Both teams have added new faces during the January window, including Georginio Rutter, Max Wober and Weston McKennie for Sunday’s visitors along with Chris Wood, Jonjo Shelvey and Keylor Navas for the hosts.

Forest boss Steve Cooper hopes to complete the addition of free agent Andre Ayew before Leeds take on the Reds this weekend. The pair worked together previously at Swansea City and the Ghana international has most recently represented Qatari club Al-Sadd.

Leeds’ opponents are presented with a unique problem, however, as Ayew may not be able to be registered due to the bloated size of Forest’s first-team squad. Cooper tried to move midfielder Lewis O’Brien out on loan to Blackburn Rovers on deadline day but the late submission of requisite paperwork has cast doubt on whether that temporary move will be completed, or O’Brien is forced to return to the City Ground.

Cooper will then be required to choose between registering new arrival Ayew or the former Huddersfield Town man in his 25-man Premier League squad for the remainder of the season. If a solution cannot be reached, Ayew’s City Ground move could be in jeopardy.

Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett claims Forest will have until 3pm on Thursday, February 2 to submit their finalised squad list for the second half of the campaign.

The newly-promoted side have spent heavily this season, parting with £165 million on new players since winning the Championship play-offs last spring. Forest have signed 23 players on permanent deals since the beginning of the summer transfer window, a further four on loan deals and two free agents.