Frustration for Nottingham Forest in Jack Hunt talks
Nottingham Forest have been frustrated in their efforts to secure a permanent deal for Jack Hunt by Crystal Palace's demands.
The highly-rated defender moved to the City Ground over the summer on a short-term loan as a full-time agreement could not be reached before the transfer deadline passed.
The terms of a move were agreed with Palace, but discussions with Hunt have only recently reached a positive conclusion.
Forest were hoping to address the situation again with his parent club in January, but Stuart Pearce fears he may be left disappointed as the asking price for a man taken to Selhurst Park for £2million in 2013 has doubled over recent weeks.
He said in the Nottingham Post: “We had agreed a fee with Crystal Palace at the back end of the window when it was close to shutting.
“We could not agree terms with the player at the time. Subsequently, we have agreed everything with the player, when it comes to wages and such like, and we again matched Palace’s initial price, which they had put on the lad’s head.
“But when we went back to them to do the deal over the past week, that price had apparently doubled.
“I have explained that to Jack because he is desperate to come here and join us. He is disappointed. He feels the support we have given him has been fantastic, he is enjoying his football.
“We are ready to do the deal, but at the level that Palace have quoted us now, we cannot take that forward.”
There has been a change in the dugout at Selhurst Park since Hunt headed for the City Ground, with Neil Warnock succeeding Tony Pulis, but Pearce does not believe that has been a factor in the sudden increase in asking price.
He added: “I don’t know that it is the change of manager that has influenced things, no.
“I think the financial decision has come from above the manager. Every time we have dealt with Palace – I dealt with Tony Pulis before and this time it was obviously Neil Warnock – it has been the board who have put the prices on the players’ heads.
“That is the way I see it. But what Palace are saying is that they want to have a look at their player.
“We have him here until January at the minute and we will keep asking the question of Palace. But what they are asking is just too much, when it comes to the finance.”
Pearce is, however, still hoping to bolster his ranks over the coming weeks, with the loan market set to be explored during the international break.
He said: “We will look at it this week. There are one or two positions within the squad we need to strengthen, we think.
“If the right players come up, we will come in and get them. If the right players are not available, we will sit tight.”