Nottingham Forest could target Spence replacement in £12.6m duo at City Ground

Nottingham Forest are interested in signing Manchester City youngster Issa Kabore and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, according to The Express journalist Ryan Taylor.

With Djed Spence, who played a huge part in the Reds ending their 23-year wait for Premier League football, set to reject a return to the City Ground and join Tottenham, Taylor believes Steve Cooper is working hard to find a replacement.

According to Football.London, Forest are keen on bringing Maitland-Niles to the City Ground on a permanent basis.

Maitland-Niles has made 132 appearances for his boyhood club, but he’s fallen out of favour at the Emirates and with just 12 months remaining on his deal, he could be moved on this summer.

The report states that Steve Cooper is a ‘huge fan’ of the 24-year-old, having watched him closely when he was manager of England Under-17s, while the versatile star is in desperate need of first-team football after his lack of game-time continued at Roma earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Forest are also chasing the services of Kabore, who’s also got just 12 months left on his City contract.

Kabore enjoyed a productive season on loan in Ligue 1 last term, but he’s never played for City and he is unlikely to get first-team opportunities under Pep Guardiola.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “They have two options; Issa Kabore, who was on loan at Troyes in France last season. I think that would be a loan and the other is a permanent deal for Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who spent the second half of last season at Roma.

“They’ve made an enquiry to Arsenal about his availability. Arsenal would rather a permanent sale, but at the moment, nothing is set in stone with that.”

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