Southampton close to Nottingham Forest’s Zach Abbott loan with option to buy | OneFootball

Southampton are closing in on a loan for Nottingham Forest defender Zach Abbott, including an option to buy, with a medical on Tuesday morning. According to Sainstmarching.com, it would be the club’s first move of deadline day.

Defence has been the priority after Taylor Harwood-Bellis left for Aston Villa. Keven Schlotterbeck has already arrived from Augsburg and looked composed on debut in the 5-1 win over Millwall.

Abbott, 20, has had limited senior minutes this season but is viewed as a versatile option who can play centrally or at full-back.

He has 13 first-team appearances for Forest and 88 at U21 level. A two-time England U20 international, he featured in Europe with seven Europa League outings last season, including helping shut out Sturm Graz and a 1-1 draw with Porto, where he won three tackles and duels.

Nuno Espirito Santo rated him highly at Forest and selected him for an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City at Wembley, saying he was ready for the occasion.

Martin Keown has praised his composure on the European stage. While some fans hoped for David Affengruber from Elche, Abbott would still represent a credible addition as deadline day gathers pace.

Source: Sainstmarching.com

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