Nottingham Forest are keen to sign Djed Spence if they win promotion and Middlesbrough want to quickly sell their defender.
According to The Northern Echo, the 21-year-old is set to be sold by Boro during the summer transfer window.
Out of respect for the Reds, no discussions have taken place during Forest’s play-off campaign.
That will draw to a close on Sunday though when Forest take on Huddersfield at Wembley in the play-off final.
Isaiah Jones has burst onto the scene at the Riverside Stadium and that has seen Spence bumped down the pecking order.
Enter Nottingham Forest.
The Reds signed Spence in the summer on a season-long loan. He has become a mainstay in the team, thriving under Steve Cooper.
He has been taken in by the supporters as one of their own and Forest would dearly love to sign him.
Forest won’t find it easy to land him, however.
Tottenham, Arsenal and Leeds have all been linked with the player previously; with Chelsea and Liverpool also monitoring Spence.
The fact that Boro want a quick sale could help Forest though.
If the team wins promotion at the weekend confidence will be sky high and surely he will want to get his future sorted urgently.
One thing that Spence would relish at Forest is the regular game time.
He would play week in and week out on Trentside and that wouldn’t be a given if he went to an established Premier League outfit.
Middlesbrough want to sell Spence and Forest must act if Sunday goes to plan
It has to be said that this does sound like positive news.
The report claims that Boro will ask for £20 million for Spence but that is unlikely to be as a lump sum.
All along the fee has been mentioned at around £15 million and with some add-ons that could be enough to seal a deal.
Spence would represent a sound start to the club’s transfer business.
Promotion to the Premier League needs securing first though and as a result, Forest can’t take their eyes off of the price.