Nottingham Forest have hit a potential stumbling block in their pursuit of Blackpool winger Josh Bowler.
According to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, Forest and Blackpool are not in agreement in terms of the valuation of Bowler.
A separate report from Sky Sports News (as cited by the Blackpool Gazette) last week suggested that the Seasiders had rejected a bid from the Reds for the winger.
Neil Critchley refused to speculate on Bowler's future at Bloomfield Road following his side's 1-0 victory over Hull City on Saturday.
Forest have already bolstered their squad during the current transfer window by swooping for Aston Villa striker Keinan Davis and are seemingly keen to add to their attacking options by signing Bowler.
The 22-year-old joined Blackpool last summer on a free transfer and has gone on to feature regularly for the club in the Championship.
As well as making 16 starts for the Seasiders at this level, Bowler has also been used as a substitute on 10 occasions by Critchley.
Having featured in Blackpool's recent clash with Hull, the winger could be in line to make another appearance for the club when they head to Victoria Park to face Hartlepool United in the third-round of the FA Cup this weekend.
The Verdict
When you consider that Forest have yet to match Blackpool's valuation for Bowler, it could be argued that they may find it beneficial to end their pursuit of the winger.
During the 26 appearances that he has made in the second-tier for the Seasiders, Bowler has only managed to provide four direct goal contributions which is an underwhelming figure.
Given that Forest boss Steve Cooper is currently able to call upon the services of the likes of Brennan Johnson and Lewis Grabban who have both featured in wide roles in the club's recent fixtures, Bowler is unlikely to be an upgrade on this particular duo.
Keeping this in mind, Cooper ought to be looking into the possibility of strengthening his squad in other areas between now and the end of the transfer window instead of swooping for Bowler.