- Jonjo Shelvey has completed a season-long loan deal at Turkish club Rizespor
- Reports earlier this year suggested that Shelvey had a falling out with Steve Cooper
- Listen to the latest episode of the Mail Sport podcast Everything starts
Nottingham Forest today confirmed the departure of Jonjo Shelvey, who will join Turkish Super Lig club Rizespor on a season-long loan deal.
Reports on Wednesday suggested that the former Newcastle and Liverpool central midfielder was close to joining the Turkish side.
But today Forest released a statement confirming he had ‘completed a season-long loan’ before saying ‘we wish Jonjo the best for the remainder of the campaign’.
According to Rizespor Twitter accountShelvey “underwent a medical check-up at Istanbul’s Acibadem Altunizade Hospital” earlier today, before being photographed holding the Rizespor jersey alongside club president Ibrahim Turgut and new signing Adolfo Gaich.
The 31-year-old, whose contract at Forest expires in 2024, is the latest player to leave Forest this summer, with Steve Cooper’s side now having let go of 15 players as free agents, on loan and in cash.
Jonjo Shelvey (right) has joined Turkish Super Lig side Riezpor on a season-long loan
He is still contracted to Nottingham Forest until 2024, after the midfielder joined the club from Newcastle in January.
They have also strengthened their squad by acquiring 11 new players, including new central midfielder Ibrahim Sangare from PSV Eindhoven, an exciting prospect who could feature for Garibaldi against Burnley on Monday.
Shevley, meanwhile, will take a break from his time at the City Ground, with the former England international only arriving at the club in January this year, after begging his former boss Eddie Howe to allow him to leave Newcastle.
Reluctantly, the England manager allowed Shelvey to leave St James’ Park, with the midfielder having accumulated just three appearances for the Magpies at the start of the 2022-23 Premier League campaign.
He had hoped for a “fresh start” at Forest, but once again struggled to get game time under Cooper, making eight appearances for Cooper’s side, and has not played since April.
His absence from the squad came after reports suggested he had been unhappy with the manager’s decision to exclude him from Forest’s visit to Liverpool last season.
He was told to “stay at home” by Garibaldi’s boss, who was unimpressed with his attitude and performance in training, but later dismissed any claims that there was any awkwardness between the two men.
Shelvey notably did not travel with Forest to their pre-season training camp in Spain earlier this summer, and will now play the remainder of the season with Turkish side Rizespor, who currently sit fifth in the table. Super Lig.
Shelvey has only made eight appearances for Forest and notably has not played for the club since April.
