Sky Bet Championship side Brentford have won the race to sign the highly-rated midfielder Ryan Woods, having agreed a deal with Shrewsbury for his transfer, according to sports journalist Pete O'Rourke.

The 21-year-old has been the subject of intense speculation during the transfer window, with the Bees, along with fellow Championship sides Sheffield Wednesday and Preston North End rumoured to be close to approaching Shrewsbury with an offer.

It would now appear that Marinus Dijkhuizen's side are closing in on Woods's signing, with confirmation of the deal expected to be announced in the coming hours.

Woods is regarded as one of the hottest prospects outside of the Premier League, after his eye-catching display against Chelsea in front of the TV cameras in the Capital One Cup last season, along with his consistent performances for the Shrews, which helped Micky Mellon's side regain promotion to League One after a one year absence.

At the end of the  2014/15 season, Woods was named in the PFA League Two Team of the Year, as well as being nominated for the League Two Player of the Year.

Despite his tender years, Woods has already made more than 100 first-team appearances, and his excellent form for Shrewsbury was rewarded when he captained Shrewsbury to a 1-1 draw against Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park in August 2015.

The highly rated playmaker's impending move to Griffin Park  is another major blow to Shrewsbury, following talented centre-back Connor Goldson's transfer to Brighton, and with the Shrews already finding themselves in 22nd place with two points from five games, relegation back down to League Two is looking a serious possibility.

Brentford fans..... What do you make of this news? Good signing? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!