Nottingham Forest and Swansea City are both interested in making a potential move for Almeria defender Mathieu Peybernes, but Spanish side Real Zaragoza are leading the race, according to El Periodico de Aragon.
Peybernes has spent time out on loan with Real Zaragoza in the Spanish second division, where he managed to make 18 league appearances and helped them record seven clean sheets.
According to this latest report from to El Periodico de Aragon, the Spanish side are keen to re-sign him from Almeria this summer and the 30-year-old is also open to making that move.
However, the same report outlines that both Nottingham Forest and Swansea are also in the race of teams keen to make a move for the defender during the summer transfer window.
It is believed that Swansea even made an offer for him already last year which was turned by Almeria before he was sent out on loan to Real Zaragoza.
It is thought that the 30-year-old, who is heading into the final year of his existing deal with Almeria, wants stability and a three-year deal from whoever comes in for him this window.
Almeria are believed to want a fee for the defender and are not willing to let him go for nothing with him still having one more year left on his contract.
The verdict
Peybernes would be an interesting signing for either Nottingham Forest or Swansea this summer. It seems certainly that Swansea have had the most long-term interest in him if they did indeed make an offer last summer to Almeria. The Welsh club will need defensive reinforcements for next term now having lost Marc Guehi and the 30-year-old might well be an option for them.
However, it looks like Nottingham Forest and Swansea are unlikely to be able to make a successful move for Peybernes according to this latest update. It seems the defender is keen to remain in Spain with Real Zaragoza and that means that if they come in with a decent enough offer then they are the side that will win the race for his signature.
That might not turn out to be a bad thing for Forest or Swansea, the defender is experienced but he has been allowed to leave Almeria who have been pushing for promotion from the Spanish second division. It would therefore be a lot to expect him to be good enough for a side aiming to challenge for promotion in the Championship next term.