Nottingham Forest are said to be close to reaching an agreement with former Aston Villa defender, Alan Hutton according to The Sun.

Hutton has been out of contract since he was released from Villa after they won promotion back into the Premier League.

Forest will be hoping to fend off interest from Wigan to win the race to his signature.

In our latest FLW Six Pointer, we look into this potential deal in more detail.

Firstly, would Hutton be a good signing for the Reds?

"This would be a great signing by Forest in my opinion.

"Hutton is a player that has played at Championship level for a number of seasons now, and has previously played in the Premier League with Villa.

"So this would make him a good signing for any Championship side heading into the new season, as he’s already shown that he can still play consistently to a high standard at this level."

What would he add to the Forest team?

"He’d add some much-needed depth and experience to Martin O’Neill’s defensive options, that’s for sure.

"The Reds could certainly benefit from signing a full-back before the new season gets underway, and Hutton would be exactly that, as he can play at both right-back and left-back.

"I think it’s a smart move by Forest, as they’ve evidently wasted no time in targeting the Scotsman, not long after his contract with Aston Villa reached a conclusion towards the end of last season."

Is it a risk in signing him after his recent injury troubles?

"It will be a worry, but on the whole, this is a good deal for Nottingham Forest.

"Hutton was ruled out for the last few months of last season, which will have been hugely frustrating for the Scotsman, who was a regular for Aston Villa, as they eventually won promotion back into the Premier League.

"Forest need depth in defence, and signing Hutton would certainly address that as he’s a versatile option to have in their squad for next season."

Should his age be a worry?

"It will be a slight concern, but his performances have shown that he isn’t struggling as he gets towards the later stages of his career.

"He’s 34, which means that some will have predicted that he’s well past his best, but if his performances from last season are anything to go by, then Forest won’t be worried about his age.

"He’s shown that he’s a threat at either end of the pitch, and has the energy to add something to the Forest team next season at full-back."

Do Forest need more depth in defence heading into next season?

"Absolutely.

"If there was one area of their squad which needed strengthening, it’s at full-back in my opinion.

"Forest already have some good options available to them in that position, but signing Hutton would add some competition for places, which is exactly what Forest need.

"Hutton played regularly for Villa in their promotion-winning season and would certainly fancy his chances of being a regular in the Forest team next season if he was to sign up at the City Ground."

Finally, do you think Hutton will be a regular starter next season for Forest?

"I don’t think he’ll be an immediate starter for Martin O’Neill’s team, I’ll be honest.

"The Reds already have Tendayi Darikwa available at right-back, as well as Jack Robinson at left-back, so I’d be surprised to see him starting the first game of their season.

"But he’s a player who knows exactly what the Championship is about, and knows how to get a team into the Premier League, so I think he’ll be able to force his way into the starting XI with no problem at all if last season is anything to go by."