Eric Lichaj signs contract extension with Nottingham Forest

Eric Lichaj will stay with Nottingham Forest through the summer of 2016. The American fullback signed a two-and-a-half-year contract extension with the club that will keep him at The City Ground, where he is putting together a fine season.

Lichaj joined Forest on a free transfer in the summer of 2013 and made his 50th appearance for the club on Sunday. He's been a regular starter under new manager Stuart Pearce, playing at both fullback positions and even dabbling at centerback when the team experiments with a three-man backline.

It once looked like Lichaj was the United States' right back of the future. He was playing at Aston Villa and had an excellent 2011 Gold Cup, but then he fell out at favor at Villa Park and Jurgen Klinsmann didn't give him many looks. The new U.S. manager didn't call him up until November 2013 and he hasn't been called up since.

Still, Lichaj is only 26 years old and, while Nottingham Forest is only in the Championship, the fullback is playing regularly. It's not as if the Americans are stacked at fullback on either side so if Lichaj continues to play well, he will probably get another look at some point this cycle. At that point, it's just about putting on a good showing in training and impressive Klinsmann.

In the mean time, Lichaj will continue to play for Nottingham Forest. They're happy with him and he with them.