ForestDanny123
Youth Team
http://www.thisisnottinghamforest.co.uk/news/Forest-target--Harewood-and--a-Premiership--keeper.aspx
Nottingham Forest hope to discover today whether former Reds legend Martin O'Neill will do them a big favour - by allowing striker Marlon Harewood to return to the City Ground on loan.
And the struggling City Ground club also hope to sign a Premiership keeper on loan before the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers this weekend.
Aston Villa manager O'Neill had not planned to allow the powerful front-man to leave Villa Park on loan in the final weeks of the campaign, but may be willing to make an exception to help boost Forest's fight against relegation.
It is understood that Harewood, 29, is desperate to return to help his former club avoid the drop to League One, as they prepare for the critical final seven games.
But, while Harewood has made only six substitute appearances in the Premiership - the last of which was against Bolton back in December - O'Neill may still be reticent to let the player leave at a time when their push for a top four finish in the Premiership and Champions League qualification hangs in the balance.
The capture of the man Villa paid £4m to West Ham for in July 2007 would provide a timely shot in the arm to Forest's hopes of avoiding being sucked into the bottom three.
Harewood started 149 games for Forest and made 21 substitute appearances, scoring 56 goals until his £500,000 move to London in 2003, and O'Neill is believed to have told Forest he will make a decision over whether he can return today.
In the meantime, Reds boss Billy Davies is also working hard to bring a keeper to the club on loan, with negotiations with a Premiership club believed to be ongoing.
Paul Smith was a key figure during Forest climb out of League One last season, keeping more clean sheets than any other keeper in the division.
But he has struggled to replicate that form in recent weeks in the Championship, with Davies criticising the former Southampton man for a soft goal from another former Red, Robbie Blake, that put Burnley in the driving seat at Turf Moor on Saturday.
Nottingham Forest hope to discover today whether former Reds legend Martin O'Neill will do them a big favour - by allowing striker Marlon Harewood to return to the City Ground on loan.
And the struggling City Ground club also hope to sign a Premiership keeper on loan before the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers this weekend.
Aston Villa manager O'Neill had not planned to allow the powerful front-man to leave Villa Park on loan in the final weeks of the campaign, but may be willing to make an exception to help boost Forest's fight against relegation.
It is understood that Harewood, 29, is desperate to return to help his former club avoid the drop to League One, as they prepare for the critical final seven games.
But, while Harewood has made only six substitute appearances in the Premiership - the last of which was against Bolton back in December - O'Neill may still be reticent to let the player leave at a time when their push for a top four finish in the Premiership and Champions League qualification hangs in the balance.
The capture of the man Villa paid £4m to West Ham for in July 2007 would provide a timely shot in the arm to Forest's hopes of avoiding being sucked into the bottom three.
Harewood started 149 games for Forest and made 21 substitute appearances, scoring 56 goals until his £500,000 move to London in 2003, and O'Neill is believed to have told Forest he will make a decision over whether he can return today.
In the meantime, Reds boss Billy Davies is also working hard to bring a keeper to the club on loan, with negotiations with a Premiership club believed to be ongoing.
Paul Smith was a key figure during Forest climb out of League One last season, keeping more clean sheets than any other keeper in the division.
But he has struggled to replicate that form in recent weeks in the Championship, with Davies criticising the former Southampton man for a soft goal from another former Red, Robbie Blake, that put Burnley in the driving seat at Turf Moor on Saturday.
