Nottingham Forest are currently struggling in the Premier League after five straight defeats and as a result, are at the bottom of the table at the moment.

With just four points taken from their first eight outings in the top flight, Steve Cooper's side are struggling to make their presence known which will need to improve drastically over the coming weeks and months if they are to have any chance of retaining their status in the Premier League.

Although the problems are mounting at The City Ground, some of the young players who are waiting for their golden opportunity to feature in the senior Forest team are thriving out on loan, with striker Will Swan proving his worth whilst at Mansfield Town.

The talented 21-year-old is making his mark in League Two and could become the next prodigy that Cooper could unearth when he returns next summer, with the player possessing "lovely" ability in the words of journalist Josh Bunting.

Swan has scored three goals and delivered one assist over his 12 appearances, with a goal contribution every 140 minutes so far which will surely catch the eye of the Forest boss as his side struggle back in Nottingham.

More recently, the talented centre-forward featured in the starting line-up against Derby County in the EFL trophy, with the game going down to a penalty shoot-out last night.

Swan scored his spot kick, had six shots on goal, completed 100% of his crosses and made two tackles and two interceptions over the course of the game, proving that he is a positive presence in the team, both from an offensive and defensive point of view.

The centre-forward was lavished with praise by his current manager Nigel Clough who hailed Swan a upon his arrival at Field Mill, saying:

"He'll bring youth and energy to the team. He's a good all-round striker and a good finisher, given the opportunity."

If Swan did get the chance to play for Forest in the Premier League it wouldn't be the first time he has been promoted to the senior team. He impressed for Forest U21s, scoring 12 goals in 22 appearances which saw Chris Houghton give him a chance in the Championship over the 2020/21 season.

However, the opportunity may have come too soon for the young striker as he failed to make an impact on the side and was quickly replaced after just two appearances.

With that being said, if Swan can continue to develop his talents and abilities with Mansfield over the season ahead it could finally be the perfect time for Cooper to unleash the young talent in his team when he returns from loan.

After a summer in which they added a plethora of new signings, a talented player such as Swan could well save them millions in forthcoming windows.