This campaign has not been a good one for Shane Duffy.
Having lost his place in the Brighton team last season, it was clear he needed a move away from the club in order to get his career back up and running again. A number of teams were interested in taking him on loan, with the likes of West Ham and Newcastle wanting to keep him in the Premier League.
Instead, he completed a childhood dream by moving to Celtic on a one-year loan deal. Many criticised the decision at the time, believing that a move to Scottish football was not the right choice for a player of his talents.
The reality has been that the Ireland defender has greatly struggled. Having shown some patchy form at the start of the season, he would produce a string of high profile mistakes.
Duffy has now found himself largely out of the team, starting only two of Celtic's last ten league games. Considering this, it is not surprising that rumours are circulating that loan move could be cut short.
The Scottish Sun are reporting that Nottingham Forest are interested in taking Shane Duffy on loan this month, with an approach already made to Brighton.
However, this depends on the wishes of Celtic. They would have to agree to let the player leave, something that is no guarantee when you consider that they paid a sizeable loan fee to bring him north of the border.
One aspect they look at is the player's wages, with Celtic paying Duffy's entire salary. This is something they may not want to move forward with if the player is not considered first choice, with Neil Lennon already hinting that he will look to sign a centre back this month.
Duffy has an excellent relationship with Nottingham Forest manager Chris Hughton, who he worked with for a number of years at Brighton.
Hughton is the man who crafted the Derry man into a reliable Premier League defender and this could be an ideal opportunity for the player to rejuvenate his career.
Stephen Kenny will certainly be keeping a close eye on his form in the coming weeks, with Ireland's World Cup qualifying campaign getting underway in March. Duffy's place in the team could be under pressure, with John Egan, Dara O'Shea, and Ciaran Clark all playing consistently in the Premier League this season.
SEE ALSO: Jason McAteer Believes Manchester United's League Position Is 'False'
