New Stoke City boss is targeting Nottingham Forest's Ben Osborn as he looks to build a side that can win promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Osborn, who can play left-back or in midfield, was named as the Reds player of the season although it was a very tough season for the side on the whole.

And, those performances haven't gone unnoticed with the Nottingham Post claiming that Rowett wants to bring Osborn to the bet365 stadium this summer.

The report adds that Rowett is a long-term admirer of Osborn and even made an ambitious move to bring him to Forest's East Midland rivals Derby County late on in the January window, but Forest were adamant he wasn't for sale.

Whether that stance has changed in the summer remains to be seen, although Forest were never likely to sanction a sale of their academy graduate to their local rivals.

Rowett left Pride Park last week to take over at Stoke and is set to have big financial backing as he looks to guide the Potters to promotion.

The Verdict

Clearly Rowett is a big fan of Osborn and he does have a lot of quality that would add something to the Stoke team.

Forest aren't going to want to sell, however they will be more inclined to do a deal with Stoke than they would with Derby which would not have gone down well with supporters.

Now, it's up to the Potters to make a bid and match Forest's valuation if they want to secure a deal.

Thoughts, Forest and Stoke fans? Let us know in the comments below.