BY ALAN TEMPLE – @CCP_Sport
NOTTINGHAM FOREST owner Fawaz Al Hasawi insists Oliver Burke is going nowhere unless it suits them – as speculation continues to surround one of Scottish football’s brightest young talents.
Burke, 19, has started this season in blistering form under new Forest boss Philippe Montanier, scoring in the 4-3 Championship win over Burton Albion and impressing with his raw pace and power.
The twice-capped Scotland starlet has caught the eye of Crystal Palace, with the Londoners reportedly tabling a £8 million bid for his services.
After banking £25 million from the sale of Yannick Bolasie to Everton, Palace have money to burn and Alan Pardew is thought to have made the Kirkcaldy-born winger one of his top targets.
However, Kuwaiti billionaire Al Hasawi is adamant the player will only leave the City Ground on his terms and insists he is not at the club simply to make a profit.
He told the Nottingham Post: “I do not want to negatively affect the club. I am not after the money. I have invested £106m and I will invest more. I do not want to sell players and put the money in my pocket. I want to invest it in the club.
“They are talking about this from the beginning of the season; there has been lots of talk. As soon as somebody does well for us, there is talk. Oliver Burke does well – there is talk.
“Even if there is an offer, we will talk about it with the manager, we will discuss the offer. If it will negatively affect the club, we will not do it.
“We can talk and see if it is in the best interests of Forest. But we will only do something that is positive for the club. If it is bad for the club, we will not do it. It is that simple.”
