The Imps have today secured the permanent capture of Nottingham Forest winger Jorge Grant for an undisclosed fee.
The Banbury-born 24-year-old puts pen to paper on a deal at Sincil Bank after a recent spell on loan with Mansfield Town. Grant has been widely expected to make a temporary switch once again this summer, but the Imps have finally prised him away from Nottingham Forest after six years at the City Ground.
Grant started out as a youth at Reading, later moving to the Nike Academy before joining Forest in 2013. He made his Championship debut in the 2014/15 season, but played just once in the league. He made a further 16 appearances in a two-year spell before the first of his loan moves to Notts County.
Grant bagged six in 17 matches during his first loan spell in 2016/17 and, as we emerged from the National League, he was the driving force behind the Magpies reaching the play-offs the year after. He scored 19 times in 56 matches, but look destined for bigger things.
He had a tough season last time out. He joined Luton Town on loan, playing 17 times in League One, scoring twice. He was heavily linked with a loan move to Lincoln in the winter window, instead heading off to Mansfield Town where he managed four in 18 games. He did come in for some criticism during his Mansfield spell, he fell out of form but was preferred to Otis Khan as the season wound down.
The length of his contract with the Imps is not being disclosed at this time.
Danny said earlier in the week that he liked working with players who had something to prove; Jorge Grant has that in abundance. Were it 12 months ago, this would be lauded as one of the signings of the summer, but his stock dropped last season. That’s exactly the sort of player Danny has looked to target though, someone who has perhaps lost his way or not been catching the eye quite as much.
Last summer he’d just earned a spot in the League Two Team of the Year and there were calls for him to be given a chance at Forest. It’s to our benefit that he struggled last year, but he did contribute to a side winning their division and another one finishing fourth. Perhaps Mansfield fans feel they could have done better, had Flitcroft not stuck with Grant, perhaps.
I’ll do my usual analysis on Grant shortly, but what we are getting is a player who predominately plays on the left side of midfield, but who can operate behind the striker if required.
That’s three signings for the summer, every one technically gifted with the keys to unlock a game. Danny obviously feels in terms of steel and aggression we were fine last season, but that we need to be more creative and adventurous with our attacking player.
Creative midfielder maybe. Preferred Danny Major of Bury but we were never going to get him.
Good signing and should play better in this division than the one below.