Championship powerhouses Nottingham Forest are expected to make a £2m bid for Oxford United forward Gavin Whyte.
Everyone at Crusaders will be crossing their fingers and hoping that Gavin Whyte becomes a Nottingham Forest player this summer, as reported by the Belfast Telegraph.
The Telegraph (3 June, back page) claimed this week that Forest are planning a £2 million bid to sign the highly-rated Oxford United winger, one year after he moved to the Kassam Stadium from Crusaders.
Whyte started his career with the Hatchetmen, winning three Northern Irish league titles and claiming the Ulster Player of the Year award after firing home 24 goals in his final season at Seaview.
His potential £2 million fee would see Oxford make a handy profit on the 23-year-old but Crusaders also stand to benefit from a prospective switch to the City Ground for one of their own.
“If Gavin was to make a big money move it would be good for Crusaders,” said the club’s treasurer Tommy Whiteside.
“If a £2m move was to happen, Crusaders would get a substantial payment, more than we could secure through European qualification.
“Gavin has done well and it would be great to see him develop further.”
Whyte scored nine times in his debut season for Oxford, including a hat-trick against Shrewsbury Town in April.
And links with Nottingham Forest could raise speculation surrounding the future of talisman Joe Lolley.
The Sun (2 June, page 59) report that Aston Villa want to hand Lolley a dream move to his boyhood club though Forest will demand £15 million for one of the Championship’s most influential forwards.
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