Nottingham Forest are optimistic regarding the future of defender Ola Aina, as discussions are underway for him to sign a new contract with the club.
Ola Aina, whose current deal is set to expire at the end of this season, was at risk of departing as a free agent. However, recent reports from The Athletic indicate that the Nigeria international is moving closer to finalizing a new agreement, which is likely to come with a significant pay rise.
The 28-year-old defender joined the Tricky Trees on a free transfer last summer and has since made his mark with the club.
Before the beginning of the current season, Nottingham Forest took the proactive step of activating the one-year extension option in Aina’s contract, which demonstrated the club’s belief in his potential contribution.
Throughout this season, Ola Aina has made 34 league appearances and has managed to find the back of the net twice, demonstrating his effectiveness in defence and occasional offensive contributions under the management of Nuno Espirito Santo.
Meanwhile, Southampton’s manager, Russell Martin, has praised striker Paul Onuachu following an impressive performance against Liverpool, despite the team’s narrow 3-2 defeat on Sunday.
Onuachu was given his first start of the season in the match, and his presence on the pitch was instrumental, as he consistently troubled Liverpool’s defenders with his physicality and skilful link-up play.
The 30-year-old Nigerian forward, however, had to exit the match prematurely, leaving the field in the 52nd minute due to an injury.
Despite this setback, Martin remains hopeful that the injury is not severe. He commented on Onuachu’s performance, saying, “Paul probably deserved to start before now, the way he’s trained – he’s been so good. He was really good, so I hope his injury is nothing too serious. It’s just a bit of fatigue, but I thought he played well.”
So far this season, Onuachu has made six appearances in the league for the Saints, and this display against Liverpool has shown that his involvement can be crucial for the team as they navigate through the challenges of the season.
