Nottingham Forest chairman Fawaz Al-Hasawi defends player sales

Nottingham Forest owner Fawaz Al-Hasawi has defended his decision to sell two key players without consulting manager Stuart Pearce.

Pearce claimed on Tuesday that he was in need of answers after it was reported that Jamaal Lascelles and Karl Darlow were close to joining Newcastle United.

The duo are thought to be on the verge of moving to St James' Park for £7m, though it is understood that they will be loaned back to Forest for the upcoming season.

While admitting that "difficult decisions have to be made", Al-Hasawi insists that the proposed moves will be of financial benefit to the club if they are completed.

"The manager has been informed about the proposed sale of Karl and Jamaal and he was aware of the negotiations. The business side of football is changing and the requirement to increase revenue means, unfortunately, difficult decisions have to be made," he said in an official statement.

"As Stuart mentioned in his media interview, I have always backed him financially and that will continue. I respect him greatly and I strongly believe together we can achieve our aims and bring success back to this great club.

"Should the pair's proposed move to Newcastle be completed as expected, the transfer fees will significantly help us meet the stringent Financial Fair Play criteria, all the while allowing us to retain two high-quality players for the 2014-15 season, paying nothing towards their wages."

Despite an apparent misunderstanding between Al-Hasawi and Pearce, the Forest boss has made it clear that he does not intend to leave the club.