Forest plot Van Hooijdonk return

Wayward Dutch striker Pierre Van Hooijdonk is close to a return to Nottingham Forest.

The player went on strike after the Woirld Cup demanding a mve from Forest who he claimed had lied to him about their transfer policy and were not good enough to stay in the Premiership. Last month he publicly apologised but the Forest playing staff rejected the peace move.

Van Hooijdonk has been training with his first club in Holland, NAC Breda, but has not played since the World Cup[ in June and missed preseason training with his strike action. Forest put an £8 million proce tag on their striker after he top scored for them in the promotion push last season but Newcastle and Chelsea both rejected moves for the player who has a history of troublemaking and rowing about money and contracts with his clubs. Forest rescued him from Celtic reserves after another row about money. Fenerbahce pulled out of a £6 million deal to buy the player at the last minute in August.

Forest executives have met with Van Hooijdonk to discuss a move to end the strike and now the club are set to get back their central striking figure. Forest have little chance of selling Van Hooijdonk if he is not playing for them in the Premiership and behaving and the player now appears to accept this. If he wants to move he will have to put himself in the shop window first and play well for Forest who would still be interested in their awkward asset.