Nottingham Forest reportedly step up their transfer pursuit of powerful player | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest have stepped up their transfer pursuit of Hearts defender John Souttar by sending scouts to watch him in action yesterday, according to a report by Football Insider.

Souttar, who has been capped on four occasions by Scotland during his career, featured for the Jambos during their showdown with Celtic last night.

Ange Postecoglou’s side sealed a 1-0 victory in this particular clash as Kyogo Furuhashi netted his 14th goal of the season.

Initially linked with a move for Souttar earlier this month, Forest may need to fend off competition from the likes of Celtic, Rangers and Stoke City for his signature as the defender is attracting a great deal of interest ahead of the January transfer window.

A stand-out performer for the club during the current campaign, the defender has made 18 appearances in all competitions.

As well as illustrating his defensive capabilities, Souttar has managed to find the back of the net on three occasions in the Scottish Premiership for Hearts.

Quiz: Has Lewis Grabban ever scored a goal for Nottingham Forest at each of these 26 stadiums?

As per a report by Football Insider, Forest are currently weighing up a move for Souttar amid the uncertainty surrounding the 25-year-old’s future at Tynecastle.

The Verdict

This could turn out to be a shrewd signing by Steve Cooper if he is able to convince Souttar to make the switch to the City Ground in January as the defender has produced a host of impressive displays for Hearts this season.

Currently averaging a WhoScored match rating of 7.22 in the Scottish Premiership, Souttar could potentially reach new heights in terms of his development by learning from the guidance of Cooper at Forest.

Having sent scouts to watch the defender yesterday, the Reds will need to act quickly in January if they are to win the race for Souttar.

The former Dundee United man’s arrival at Forest may force the likes of Scott McKenna and Joe Worrall to step up their performance levels which could have a positive impact on the club’s fortunes in the Championship next year.