According to Barry Cooper of Nottinghamshire Live, Costel Pantilimon is ‘free to leave’ Nottingham Forest in January and looks ‘unlikely’ to be brought back in ‘from the cold’ this season.
The 32-year-old has been frozen out by Sabri Lamouchi and was expected to leave over the summer. Pantilimon stayed, however, and now finds himself on the periphery as a result.
Despite being first-choice in 2018/19, he’s now behind Brice Samba, Arijanet Muric and Jordan Smith in the pecking order and may have to leave Forest to get regular playing time.
In Friday’s webchat on Nottinghamshire Live, Cooper responded to a q
uestion about Pantilimon’s whereabouts and said: “He was reluctant to move in the summer and remains at the club.
“He’s just not involved in the squad and is free to move elsewhere. Seems a shame for him to be kicking his heels around the training ground after such a good season last term.
“I would deem it extremely unlikely to see him come back in from the cold if Aro Muric was to return to Manchester City. A move in January would surely be favourite for the Romanian.”
Pantilimon joined Forest from Watford in July 2018 and has gone on to make 57 appearances in all competitions, keeping a respectable 19 clean sheets. His last appearance for the Reds came against Queens Park Rangers on April 27, and it doesn’t appear he’ll add to his tally.
The experienced shot-stopper hasn’t made the matchday squad in any game this season and risks stagnating if he doesn’t seek an exit in January. Pantilimon was linked with a move to Olympiacos over the summer, but it remains to be seen which club he’d join in the New Year.
