Premier League outfit Leeds United will be in a strong position to sign Nottingham Forest winger Brennan Johnson if they remain afloat in the top tier and the Welshman's current side remain in the Championship, according to the view of journalist Dean Jones who spoke to Give Me Sport.

The 20-year-old has adapted to second-tier football seamlessly this term following a successful loan spell at Lincoln City last season, recording 16 goals and nine assists in 46 league appearances, a tally that has helped Forest to secure a top-six spot.

His impressive performances haven't just been limited to the league though, also shining against the likes of Arsenal and Leicester City in the FA Cup earlier this calendar year and managing to get on the scoresheet against the latter.

These performances have generated more interest in his signature with Brentford's interest in the attacking dating back to last summer - and Leeds are one side that have more recently joined the race - though their interest also dates back to last year.

According to the same outlet, Johnson is in no rush to sign fresh terms at the City Ground yet with his contract expiring in 2023, a factor that may increase Forest's chances of cashing in on him this summer if he fails to sign fresh terms.

Which league Steve Cooper's side are in next season may also play a big part in whether he remains in the East Midlands or not - but if they don't and the Whites remain afloat - reporter Jones believes the latter will be in a better position to secure his services.

Speaking to Give Me Sport, he said: "They should make him their number one target, 100%.

"They are in a great position to sign Brennan Johnson if they do stay up and Forest don’t manage to get promoted."

The Verdict:

Leeds would be in a better position if Forest were to stay down because that would probably make Johnson more hesitant to sign fresh terms, especially with no guarantees that they would get promoted during the 2022/23 campaign either.

Forest are probably favourites to win the play-offs at this stage considering their form under Cooper since his arrival last year - but they face a recently relegated side in Sheffield United who are also a very strong outfit and could be extremely difficult to beat over two legs.

This is a particularly fascinating tie considering these sides have drawn twice this season, so they arguably face their most difficult task in the semi-final ahead of what could be a potentially glorious day at Wembley if they advance.

In terms of Jesse Marsch's side, their situation looks bleak at this stage but they will still have hope with the ability to drag Everton and Burnley back into the battle, with the latter potentially vulnerable following their defeat last weekend.

Even if they do survive, they may face a bitter tussle for Johnson's signature considering many other sides are also thought to be keeping tabs on his situation at this stage, so this is a transfer saga to keep an eye on.