Nottingham Forest close to signing defender Giulian Biancone from French club Troyes… while Dean Henderson is expected to be announced as Steve Cooper’s new goalkeeper
- Giulian Biancone will fly to England today for a medical at Nottingham Forest
- He will then travel with the squad to Spain for their pre-season training camp
- The 22-year-old Frenchman is capable of playing anywhere across the defence
- Forest are short of full-back options following the end of Djed Spence’s loan
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.
Nottingham Forest are close to completing the signing of French defender Giulian Biancone
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.
The 22-year-old will have a medical today and then travel with the Forest squad to Spain
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.
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…