Sources: Nottingham Forest approach ex-Wolves boss Lopetegui
Nottingham Forest have approached former Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui about potentially replacing Steve Cooper, sources have told Football Insider.
Lopetegui, 57, figures highly on Forest’s wanted list amid growing doubts over Cooper’s future at the City Ground.
Football Insider revealed on Wednesday (6 December) that the Forest boss has told friends he expects to be sacked soon.
Lopetegui is keen on a return to management but a well-placed source has told Football Insider that he is not convinced by a potential City Ground appointment.
It is believed he is concerned about how the Midlands club do their recruitment under owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Forest brought no fewer than 30 players to the club across both windows in the 2022-23 campaign following their promotion to the Premier League.
They finished 16th in the table despite sitting bottom in October 2022 – when Cooper was handed a new contract at the club, running until June 2025.
Marinakis and his recruitment staff oversaw the arrivals of 14 more players in the most recent summer window.
Lopetegui left Wolves on the eve of the 2023-24 campaign after the club’s summer fire sale which saw the likes of Ruben Neves, Nathan Collins and Matheus Nunes leave Molineux.
He took charge in November 2022 when the Midlands side were sat bottom, but he turned their fortunes around to achieve a 13th-place finish.
Nottingham Forest have just one win in the last 11 Premier League matches following the 5-0 loss against Fulham on Wednesday (6 December) – and sit 16th in the top flight.
Cooper’s side are next in action against Lopetegui’s old club Wolves on Saturday (9 December).
In other news, Newcastle slap £25million price tag on Nottingham Forest target.