Nottingham Forest star returns to Brazil to recover ‘£1m lost in crypto scam’ ahead of Newcastle United clash

Nottingham Forest midfielder Gustavo Scarpa has returned to his homeland to try and recover £1m which he lost in cryptocurrency scam, according to reports in Brazil.

Forest have allowed the January signing to fly to Brazil to deal with the problem, with the 29-year-old having missed the club’s draw with Everton and defeat at Tottenham Hotspur.

Reports in Brazil further state he has appeared in court in a bid to recover the money, with other players aslo losing money in the scam. Forestb boss Steve Cooper says the player has been fully supported by the club.

“I can tell you that he has had some personal issues to sort out and we are giving him our support, which is inclusive of allowing him to travel back [to Brazil],” Cooper said.

“I don’t really think it’s right to go into the ins and outs of the situation. I don’t think I’m allowed to either, but I wouldn’t want to anyway because it’s a personal situation. First and foremost that’s where I’m at with it. We’re supporting Gustavo in terms of what he’s going through and of course it affects football performance and availability, and all that sort of stuff.

“Those things go hand in hand, of course. We want him settled in his mind and sorting out the situation. It’s an unfortunate situation and he’s got our full support with it. Hopefully he can get it sorted out and then focus on his availability for us.”

The issue is likely to see Scarpa miss Friday night’s Premier League meeting with Newcastle United, as the Magpies seek another important three points in their bid for a top-four spot.