Nottingham Forest want Maxwel Cornet but Newcastle United are now pushing to sign the Burnley before the new Premier League season.
Forest completed yet another signing on Sunday as Stuttgart midfielder Orel Mangala secured his move to the City Ground.
Mangala became signing number 11 for Cooper’s first team this summer, but it’s 12 if you include the loaned-out Brandon Aguilera.
Are Forest done there? Probably not, with Steve Cooper still needing more new faces in order to push for Premier League survival.
More attacking quality will be wanted but Forest will face a real battle if they want Cornet.
Nottingham Forest want Maxwel Cornet
One attack-minded player Forest have been linked with is Burnley ace Cornet.
Capable of playing all the way up the left flank or even off the striker, Cornet would be hugely versatile and allow Cooper to switch between systems.
Available for £17.5million thanks to a release clause in his Burnley contract, Cornet hit nine Premier League goals last season.
The Ivorian is expected to leave Burnley and was left out of Friday’s 1-0 win over Huddersfield Town.
Forest have been chasing Cornet but recent reports suggest that personal terms over a move to the City Ground have been a problem.
Forest may now face missing out on Cornet with Newcastle United ramping up their move for the Burnley star.
The Daily Mail claim that Newcastle have approached Burnley over a deal to sign Cornet.
Yet instead of paying that £17.5million release clause, Newcastle want to pay a larger fee over a longer period of time.
Burnley are open to that kind of deal, but the fee could end up heading towards £25million.
It seems that Forest are willing to pay the release clause, but unless personal terms can be thrashed out, it looks like Cornet is more likely to be joining Newcastle than Forest this summer.