Nottingham Forest allowed Esapa Osong to join Rotherham United last week on a season-long loan with the League One outfit.

Steve Evans has big ambitions for his second spell with the Millers and has signed a plethora of attracting players for the third tier this summer.

Osong is an intriguing one for Rotherham, however, given that he doesn't have any real experience in the men's game to speak of just yet.

Nothing against the talented forward but it was perhaps anticipated that he would go on loan this summer and join a club worse off than Rotherham.

The Millers have high hopes for promotion back to the Championship and that makes this move for Forest gem Osong look extremely positive.

Now, after the talented player checked in at the club, Evans shared how long he's been courting him and why he's chosen to take him to the New York Stadium.

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After taking him to South Yorkshire, Evans has explained just how long he's been chasing the academy graduate.

He's also expressed exactly why he's signed him and highlighted what he believes will be his strongest attributes on the pitch.

He told the club's official website: "I would like to thank Nottingham Forest, in particular Nuno Espirito Santo and Ross Wilson for helping us sign such a highly thought of player in Esapa Osong.

"This has been a three-month process and we have had to show great patience but it will be worth the hard work put in.

"A striker who scores a goal is hard to get at any time and one who works so hard for the team is very rare, we have that with Esapa."

Esapa Osong has bright future at Forest The striker has scored some important goals for the under-18 and under-21 ranks at the City Ground and starred for the B-Team last season.

He was instrumental as the Reds reached the FA Youth Cup final during the 2021/22 campaign, featuring in the defeat to Manchester United in the final too.

Osong is quick, powerful and does have an eye for a goal which can only be of benefit to Rotherham this season.

The challenge for Osong will be to prove that he can get up to speed quickly playing football on a regular basis at men's level.

If he can do that he could be in line for a very good season that sees him score lots of goals and return to Forest a more rounded player than when he departed.