Colchester United are set to beat Dundee to the capture of Nottingham Forest defender Aaron Donnelly, as per Pete O’Rourke for Football Insider.
The 21-year-old is down the pecking order at the City Ground, and is now set to join Danny Cowley’s outfit as they attempt to push themselves up League Two. Having started with two defeats and a win, conceding five goals in the process, Cowley is eager to add some strength to his backline, with Donnelly the preferred target.
Cowley had a strong relationship with Forest during his time at Lincoln, loaning Tyler Walker and Adam Crookes, as well as buying Jorge Grant for a snip, and he’s rekindled that relationship to loan Donnelly. It’s allowed him to steal a march on Dundee, the Scottish Premiership club where he spent time on loan last season. The Dees are currently fourth in the early SPFL table, and Tony Docherty was eager to bring the tall defender back for another season.
The recently-capped Northern Ireland international came through the ranks at Forest after leaving Dungannon Swifts in 2019. He made his professional debut for the Tricky Trees in August 2022, when manager Steve Cooper started him in the EFL Cup against Grimsby Town.
In January 2023 he signed for Port Vale on loan, making 20 appearances and scoring once in League One, before moving to Dundee last season. He impressed at Dens Park, but struggled with injury soon after arrived, and missed a portion of the campaign after being diagnosed with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome, for which he underwent surgery in January.
Donnelly’s contract at Forest is due to expire this summer, and it’s believed this loan will enable him to get the experience needed to secure a deal elsewhere in the summer of 2025.
Cowley is putting the finishing touches to his side, having saved them from relegation last season. The former Portsmouth, Huddersfield and Lincoln manager has made ten signings thus far this summer, with six of them having connections to his former club; Alex Woodyard, Harry Anderson, and Jack Payne played for him at Lincoln, Ted Bishop was at Lincoln last season, while striker Lyle Taylor played for Cowley whilst he was at Concord Rangers at the start of their careers. Cowley also signed keeper Matt Macey while he was in charge at Portsmouth.
Writer’s View
It makes a change for Cowley to sign a player he’s not previously worked with! In all seriousness, the former Braintree boss does like to work with players he knows, but he builds those relationships from early loans – Harry Anderson was a loan player at Lincoln on two occasions and had previously played under Cowley on loan at Braintree.
Connelly has not, but it could be the start of a long and fruitful relationship. Cowley likes a dominant defender who is aerially apt but also able to play out when needed. The youngster is taking a bit of a step-down, having lined up against the likes of Rangers and Celtic last season, but if he gets regular football and impresses, it could pave the way for a League One move next summer.
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