Nottingham Forest have now joined Leeds in the race to sign Mason Holgate from Premier League rivals Everton.
What’s the story?
Well, it was The Sun who revealed that Jesse Marsch wants the Everton No.4 at Elland Road.
Now, the American faces competition from Steve Cooper at the City Ground – according to Sky Sports.
Holgate – who is also a target for Southampton – has endured a difficult season under Frank Lampard so far following the summer arrivals of James Tarkowski and Conor Coady.
The 26-year-old has only made four appearances in the Premier League, as he also struggled with a knee injury throughout the first half of the campaign.
Sky Sports believe the amount of incomings at Nottingham Forest this month will depend on how many of their current squad they can offload.
In positive news for those hoping to see new arrivals, Sky Sports claim that Nottingham Forest have been approached for their unwanted players by plenty of clubs already.
Nottingham Forest could lose out to Leeds
In our view, Leeds have one key advantage over Nottingham Forest in the race to sign Holgate, who has made 122 Premier League appearances in total.
The England Under-21 international was born in Yorkshire, and actually spent time in the youth ranks at Leeds.
Of course, that may not mean too much, although it could be tempting for Holgate to return back to familiar surroundings amid a difficult period in his career at Everton.
At Elland Road, there is also less competition for places, in comparison to Cooper’s bloated Nottingham Forest squad which saw 22 new signings arrive back in the summer.
As aforesaid, Southampton are also involved in the running, but as the Saints sit bottom of the Premier League, they are not exactly the most attractive proposition.
Keep an eye on this situation, as we expect Holgate to leave Everton this month – either on loan, or for good.
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