Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent

Fri 10 March 2023 10:37, UK

Nottingham Forest have agreed a deal in principle to allow midfielder Lewis O’Brien to join Major League Soccer side DC United on loan, sources have told Football Insider.

O’Brien, 24, was left in limbo at Forest after a move to join Blackburn Rovers on transfer deadline day in January was blocked by the EFL – with the required paperwork not completed in time.

The former Huddersfield man faced the prospect of not playing until next season after he was omitted from Forest’s 25-man Premier League squad for the second half of the campaign.

But O’Brien has agreed the terms of a move to DC United to work under manager Wayne Rooney and is waiting on the final sign-off from Forest before making the temporary switch to America.

Crucially, DC United have agreed to a break clause in the loan deal allowing O’Brien to return to Forest in the summer rather than staying until the end of the MLS season in November.

The transfer window does not slam shut until 24 April in the US.

O’Brien only signed for Nottingham Forest last summer and has made just six league starts for Steve Cooper’s side, scoring once.

The last of his 17 Forest appearances came in the League Cup semi-final second leg against Man United on 25 January.

He cost the Midlands club a reported fee of £10million when he left Huddersfield – where he had racked up 131 career games.

Forest made seven signings in the January window alone – with the arrivals of Jonjo Shelvey and Brazillian ace Danilo consigning O’Brien to the scrapheap.

All told, Cooper’s side have made 30 signings across both windows this season.

The promoted side sit 14th in the Premier League table – four points clear of the relegation zone.

Forest face Tottenham in London on Saturday (11 March).

In other news, Football Insider updates as Nottingham Forest plot to re-sign defender.