Lewis O’Brien could be granted the opportunity to play again this season.

The midfielder is in talks over a loan move to MLS side DC United from Nottingham Forest.

O’Brien faced the prospect of not playing any football for the remainder of the season after being left out of Nottingham Forest’s 25-man Premier League squad, and seeing his prospective move to Rovers fail.

An independent panel last week concluded that there wasn’t sufficient reason to overturn the decision of the EFL board not to sanction O’Brien’s deadline day switch to Rovers after the late submission of paperwork.

The 24-year-old said he was ‘absolutely gutted about the decision’ which left him in limbo.

However, he is in talks with DC United, managed by Wayne Rooney, about joining them on loan.

It would offer O’Brien the chance of first-team football before a further decision is made on his Forest future upon his return.

He only moved to the City Ground last summer after starring for Huddersfield Town in their run to last season’s play-off final.

After just 17 appearances however, he was made available for loan, and a subsequent permanent transfer, should Rovers have reached the Premier League.

He could now be plying his trade in the MLS short-term, with the 2023 season having just got under way.

Should O’Brien finalise his move to DC, then he would become a team-mate of former Rovers defender Derrick Williams.

Meanwhile, Rovers prospect Felix Goddard has returned to Northern Premier League side Bamber Bridge.

The 19-year-old made his return from injury for Rovers Under-21s on Monday night in their 1-0 win at Leicester City.

Goddard returns to Brig where he enjoyed a fine first half of the season, only to see his time cut short by a knee injury.

Back fit, the teenager has now returned to the Sir Tom Finney Stadium on a deal until the end of the regular season, which could be extended should Bamber Bridge make the play-offs.