Nottingham Forest are said to be "leading the race" to sign Aston Villa striker Jonathan Kodjia, according to Birmingham Live's live transfer Q&A (14/01, 13:20pm).

The Reds are expected to sign another centre-forward this month in order to provide cover for leading goalscorer Lewis Grabban, with plenty of names being linked with a move to the City Ground.

The likes of Eddie Nketiah, Glenn Murray and Che Adams have all been mentioned as potential targets for Forest, as well as Villa forward Kodjia.

The 30-year-old arrived at Villa Park for a reported fee of £15m in 2016, and he has since scored 31 goals in over 100 games for the West Midlands outfit.

Can you get 14 out of 14 on this Forest quiz?

But the Ivorian has struggled for game time in the top-flight, and despite scoring nine goals as they won promotion via the play-offs last term, he is yet to make a start in the Premier League.

Kodjia was left out of the squad that lost 6-1 to Manchester City at the weekend, with Dean Smith saying that it was down to illness.

But with his contract set to expire at Villa Park at the end of the season, Villa are expected to cash in before potentially losing him on a free transfer in the summer.

The Verdict

I think that Kodjia would be a class signing for Forest, and he could be available for a much cheaper price than usual due to his contract situation.

He is a striker by trade but he can also play on the wing, and a powerful player like him could really thrive in Lamouchi's system.

He is proven at Championship level and could be a fantastic cover option for Grabban.