The former Newcastle United player frozen out by Rafa Benitez set for summer transfer

Jack Colback is among the former Newcastle United players looking for new clubs this summer.

Colback will quietly leave Nottingham Forest later this month, having helped the club maintain its Premier League status last season.

“Jack's been more than a player to me,” said head coach Steve Cooper. 

"When you think about last season, everybody played a massive part, but when I think about Jack's contribution, it was huge, especially with some of the goals that he scored. The contribution goes to his experience, his leadership. He's a real man."

Killingworth-born Colback had been looking forward to returning to the Premier League with Newcastle in 2017 following the club’s promotion, but he was unexpectedly frozen out, and told to train with the development squad by then-manager Rafa Benitez.

After joining Forest on loan in January 2018, Colback said: "It is nice to be wanted – it is nice to hear that you are (wanted)."

Three-hour commute

Colback had joined Forest on a permanent basis three years ago after a spell commuting to training in Newcastle from Nottingham, having moved his family to the city during an earlier loan at the City Ground.

The “dedication” of Colback, left out of United 25-man Premier League squad for the 2020/21 season by then-head coach Steve Bruce, had impressed club-mate Jonjo Shelvey.

Shelvey told In The Box: “He comes in, and he's probably near enough the best trainer. Knowing that you're not going to play is so hard.

"When he went to Forest, his missus and kids moved to Forest, so he gets a train to Newcastle every morning from Nottingham, and that's dedication, because he could just sack it off and say 'no, I'm not doing that', and I don't think the club are that bothered about him turning up for training.

"He still comes in and puts it in every day, and I think hats off to him.”

Colback had joined Newcastle as a free agent in the summer of 2014 after the expiry of his Sunderland contract.

The 33-year-old has made 190 Premier League appearances, and scored 10 top-flight goals, in total for Forest, United and Sunderland.

Shelved?

Meanwhile, Shelvey – who joined Colback at Forest in January – faces an uncertain future at the club.

The 31-year-old midfielder, under contract at the City Ground until 2025, fell out of favour two months after joining the promoted club.