Newcastle United striker set to miss rest of the season before completing summer transfer

The 31-year-old joined Forest on loan from Newcastle United in January with an obligation to buy at the end of the season which has now been triggered after the striker made just three starts. Wood is set to join Nottingham Forest permanently from Newcastle this summer in a deal thought to be worth around £16million.

Wood picked up a thigh injury in the 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month before joining up with the New Zealand squad during the international break. The striker trained with the New Zealand squad but didn’t feature in the two friendly matches against China.

And Forest boss Steve Cooper has now ruled Wood out for the remainder of the season.

“Chris Wood is out for the season," Cooper said during a press conference. “He’s picked up an injury during the international break.”

Wood has scored once in seven appearances for Forest since arriving. After signing for the club on an initial loan deal, he said: “It’s good, it’s different, it’s a change.

“Coming to a new club, a new city, it always takes some time getting used to it and moving around, getting settled. It’s nice, a good bunch of lads, good coaching staff and to get a first taste of the City Ground and the fanbase was great at the weekend.

“It was very tough [to leave Newcastle], it was a tough decision because of where the project is heading. The friendships I had grown with the players there, that dressing room is special, it’s progressing and becoming one of the best dressing rooms I’ve been part of.

“I wanted to play at the highest level as long as possible and coming here [to Forest] gave me a chance to do that. It was one of the biggest turning points. I am thinking long-term, I’ve seen the project they want to do. First I have to win over the fans, and get them to fall in love, which would be nice.

“There’s some great players here and yes, I’m looking long-term and hoping this loan move will turn into a permanent and with any luck it should do.”

Wood’s loan move will become permanent this summer.