Nottingham Forest gem rated by Nuno snubbed Manchester United last year

The academy at Nottingham Forest is one aspect of the football club that the supporters can unanimously agree is constantly thriving.

It was revealed yesterday that Ryan Yates, the  academy product currently playing well for the senior team, had signed a new contract.

In terms of the academy and development ranks, Forest has made sure that there is coordinated thinking by having the B-Team train in the same area in Spain as the first team.

Now that Forest is a Premier League team, the task is to ensure that the coaches working behind the scenes continue to find the next Ryan Yates.

When it comes to profiting from academy graduates, Forest has made a fortune in sales over the years, and that production line needs to keep up a steady pace.

The season is only a few weeks away, and there has been news of a major club making a last-ditch effort to sign a Forest academy graduate in recent years.

Zach Abbott was subject of Manchester United bid

The young defender made the unusual decision to remain at the City Ground, according to John Percy of The Telegraph.
Abbott seems to be highly regarded because he has been training with the first team several times this preseason.

The 18-year-old, who plays centre back, was a regular member of the B-Team during their winning season the previous year.

Abbott has actually only made one Carabao Cup appearance for the first team, but it appears that his time will come.

Although it’s been reported that United made an attempt to recruit Abbott last year, Abbott signed a professional contract because he was determined to stay on Trentside.

He will most likely play regularly for the B-Team this season, but it’s possible that a loan will be requested.

Abbott could have an impact at Forest in the near future

It may be necessary to have some backup central defenders because Joe Worrall is expected to be sold by Forest and Felipe and Moussa Niakhate are departing the team.

While Forest signed Nikola Milenkovic this summer, the only other available defensive options are Andrew Omobamidele, Willy Boly, and Murillo.

Abbott may be able to take advantage of that, as he has previously shown that he is a versatile player.

Even though he’s only 18 years old, he might not be quite ready for the Premier League just yet, but if Manchester United is considering him, it seems like he’s headed in the right direction.