Nottingham Forest forward on the radar of Notts County and Doncaster Rovers | OneFootball

Notts County and Doncaster are just a few of the clubs interested in Joe Gardner.

Nottingham Forest attacker Joe Gardner is a target for a host of League Two clubs this January as Nuno Espírito Santo looks to aid the 19-year-old in his development.

This is according to Football Insider's transfer guru, Pete O'Rourke, who links Notts County, Doncaster Rovers, Harrogate Town and Morecambe to the youngster.

A versatile player, the academy prospect is able to feature anywhere across the front line and can even do a stint in midfield if required.

Having gained experience against third and fourth-tier sides in the EFL Trophy, he could be ready for his first move into first-team football and regular minutes could see his levels go up tenfold.

As evidenced above, Gardner is not short of interest, with a host of teams from League Two interested in securing his services.

While this rumour has emerged, it remains uncertain whether Forest will decide to loan him out. O'Rourke has confirmed that the club will carefully evaluate their options before approving any potential deal. Nevertheless, a temporary move is widely regarded as the best course of action for Gardner's development, particularly given the fierce competition for places in Nuno's in-form front line.

This season we have seen Chris Wood net 10 goals in 15 Premier League games and contributions have arrived from the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Elliot Anderson.

Therefore, a move down the tiers is beneficial for Gardner, who will likely have his heart set on a move to either County or Rovers. Currently, these two sides sit ninth and third respectively and have had a proven track record of good goalscorers in recent years, with the likes of Joe Ironside and Macauley Langstaff.

Meanwhile, Morecambe and Harrogate are both languishing at the foot of the table, and with neither side managing to create many chances, it begs the question of whether Gardner would be provided with sufficient goalscoring opportunities.

Gardner has impressed at youth level

Having made just one professional appearance for Forest, those interested will have to go off his youth team exploits.

This works in his favour, as he has showcased his versatility this season by playing in a variety of positions, scoring five goals and providing two assists for the under-21s. Notably, he also marked his first goal against professional opposition by finding the net against Carlisle United in the EFL Trophy.

If a loan move is authorised, he would be an excellent acquisition for any League Two club. Not only is he a clinical finisher, but his versatility allows him to play across the entire attacking line.