Promoted side Nottingham Forest are already engaging in negotiations with Middlesbrough regarding a potential permanent deal for Djed Spence, according to Fabrizio Romano who shared an update on Caught Offside.

The wing-back spent the majority of the 2021/22 campaign on loan with the Reds and became one of their standout performers, making 50 competitive appearances during the season and recording three goals and five assists in the process.

However, that isn't a true reflection of his attacking threat with the 21-year-old proving to be a crucial figure in Forest's much-improved attacking displays since Steve Cooper arrived in the East Midlands.

 

 

His displays haven't gone unnoticed with clubs from across Europe all thought to have kept an eye on his situation including Manchester City and Bayern Munich, with Tottenham Hotspur looking like strong candidates along with Forest to win the race for his signature.

As per Romano, Spurs are currently in pole position to come out on top in this battle and if that deal was to materialise, that would be a huge blow for the Reds considering how influential he was at the City Ground.

In a bid to steal a march on their competitors though, Forest are already holding discussions with Boro regarding a fresh agreement for the England youth international as they look to keep some of their former loanees from last term.

The Verdict:

It would be hard to see Spence turning down another move to the City Ground if he's offered the chance to return to the Midlands - because he has been so impressive there and is likely to continue thriving under the stewardship of Cooper.

He can also be assured he would be one of the first names on the teamsheets with the Reds - game time the likes of Arsenal, Bayern and Spurs wouldn't be able to guarantee - though the 21-year-old could be tempted at the prospect of playing in European competitions.

This is why Forest simply have to move quickly to try and get an agreement over the line, though this task may be quite difficult considering the wing-back still has two years left on his contract at the Riverside Stadium.

That allows Boro to hold out for a sizeable amount for his services and because of the power they have, they could potentially create a bidding war for his services in the coming months, allowing them to maximise the money they generate for his services.

At the same time, the second-tier side's hierarchy will want to provide Chris Wilder with plenty of money to spend as quickly as possible in their quest to give themselves the best chance of winning promotion next term, so Forest should have hope that an early agreement can be struck.