This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

The potential mass exodus at Reading this summer is yet to get going entirely, but the wheels could get moving very soon.

Tom Holmes is admired by Nottingham Forest, as per The Athletic, and the 22-year-old's deal at the Select Car Leasing Stadium is nearing its expiration.

The Reds desperately need to improve their second string and address the holes left behind by loan players to compete in the Premier League next season and signing Holmes would take them some way to achieving that.

We gathered the thoughts of a selection of FLW writers to see if they believe Holmes would be a smart addition and if he is ready for top-flight football...

Simmey Hannifin-Donaldson

I think this could be a good signing for Nottingham Forest.

They have tracked Holmes for a while now and the fact that they potentially feel he is ready to join them even after they were promoted to the Premier League goes to show how much they rate the 22-year-old.

With the likes of Scott McKenna, Joe Worrall and Steve Cook already at the City Ground, at worst, Holmes would offer good competition in the centre back department.

With Reading needing to sell this summer, too, there is a good chance that Nottingham Forest can strike a deal with the Royals should they want to.

Declan Harte

Holmes has been able to stand out in a Reading side that has struggled in the last 12 months.

The defender has performed well in the Championship and should certainly be competing higher up the football pyramid.

Taking the step up to the Premier League with Forest will be a huge challenge, but one that the 22-year old could thrive in.

This would be a good signing for the Reds given the need for younger players in their defence and Holmes represents good long term value.

However, it is unlikely that he will jump straight into the starting line-up and will have to work hard to earn his place in the team.

 

 

Josh Cole

Although it is abundantly clear that Forest will need to strengthen their squad in the summer window in order to prepare for life in the Premier League, they ought to steer clear of making a move for Holmes.

When you consider that the defender only managed to average a WhoScored match rating of 6.61 in the Championship this season, he may struggle to adapt to life in the top-flight.

Furthermore, Holmes won’t be an upgrade on Forest’s existing options at centre-back as Joe Worrall, Scott McKenna and Steve Cook have all excelled under the guidance of Steve Cooper.

If Forest are aiming to bolster their defensive options, they ought to be looking to sign players who have a good track record of delivering the goods in the top-flight.