By Wale Mustapha
Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espírito Santo has confirmed that Nigerian international Ola Aina will undergo a late fitness test ahead of the club’s Premier League encounter against Brentford.
Aina has missed Forest’s last four matches due to a calf injury, a setback that has disrupted the defensive stability of the team.
However, the versatile full-back has resumed training, raising hopes of a potential return.
“We still have one more day, assessing all the players, trying to make the decisions,” Nuno told the club’s official website.
“All the players who have been out are important to us. We’ve spoken many times about that.”
Nuno recounted Aina’s influence on the team’s backline, noting the disruption his absence has caused.
“We have been missing Ola, especially because of the stability of the back four we had and the routines,” he added.
Forest remain in contention for a historic UEFA Champions League qualification — their first in over 30 years — adding urgency to their need for a fully fit squad as the season nears its conclusion.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
