Liam Bridcutt was pictured in pre-season training for Nottingham Forest and will be looking to impress Martin O’Neill as he fights for a place back in the first-team. The 30-year-old hasn’t played for Forest since facing Burton Albion in the EFL Cup on October 30 and has an uncertain future this summer.
Bridcutt has been linked with a move to Ipswich Town and Peterborough United but no deal has materialised. The Scotland international spent the majority of 2018/19 with the u23s after falling down the pecking order to Claudio Yacob, Ben Watson, Ryan Yates and Adlene Guedioura. It’s hard to see him being given a reprieve.
But as he remains at the City Ground, Bridcutt has an opportunity to change O’Neill’s mind before the 2019/20 season starts. He just has a lot of players to edge out, however. It also speaks volumes that not many clubs have registered an interest in the midfielder since he found himself on the periphery at Forest.
Since joining from Leeds United in 2017, Bridcutt has made 31 appearances in all competitions, scoring and creating four goals. He featured only four times in 2018/19 and racked up just one minute of Championship football. Bridcutt impressed O’Neil while representing the reserve team, but it hasn’t been enough to be promoted back to the senior squad.
