Forest close to signing French defender Giulian Biancone from Troyes

Nottingham Forest are close to completing the signing of defender Giulian Biancone from French side Troyes. 

Sportsmail understands that the 22-year-old will fly to England for a medical today and is then expected to travel with Steve Cooper's squad to Spain for the start of their pre-season training camp on Sunday. 

Naturally a right-back, Biancone is capable of playing anywhere across the defence and finished last season as the left centre-back in Troyes' back three. 

Cooper deploys a similar system at the City Ground, but it is likely that Biancone will be needed most at full-back. 

Last season's star loanee Djed Spence is on the verge of a move to Tottenham from Middlesbrough, while midfielder Jack Colback was played out-of-position as a left wing-back as Forest earned promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.  

Meanwhile, the Reds want to send Richie Laryea out on loan to a Championship club and Nikolas Ioannou could depart on loan or permanently. 

Neco Williams is a target, but Liverpool have turned down Forest's opening bid for the Welsh international as they are holding out for £15million. 

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Biancone, who came through the youth system at Monaco and only joined Troyes last summer, is available for less than that price. 

He is a former France under-19 international who made 33 appearances in Ligue 1 last season, having spent the previous two campaigns on loan at Cercle Brugge in Belgium. 

Forest are recruiting in earnest this summer as they prepare for their top-flight return and last week broke their transfer record to sign former Liverpool forward Taiwo Awoniyi for £17.5million.