Southampton hope to sign Nottingham Forest’s Zach Abbott on loan with option to buy | OneFootball

Southampton hope to bring Nottingham Forest centre-back Zach Abbott in on loan, with an option to buy next summer.

Daily Echo reports that Saints are working to finalise the move.

The England under-20 international has drawn admirers at Southampton despite making only 13 appearances for the Premier League side. He has featured three times in the league and seven in last season's Europa League.

He captained England under-19s at a major European tournament last summer. The right-footed defender came through the academy at the Riverside, winning silverware, and signed a new four-year deal last year.

Abbott is viewed as a replacement for Taylor Harwood-Bellis, the 24-year-old Saints vice-captain who is set to join Aston Villa in a £30 million move. He is considered to carry a similar pedigree to Harwood-Bellis before his Championship-winning loan to Burnley at 20 in 2022.

Southampton had looked at alternatives in Europe, including Viking's Henrik Falchener and Elche's David Affengruber, but those deals are considered unlikely. The club are wary of overspending on lower-priority targets.

Saints have until 11pm on Tuesday to conclude their business, with the window due to reopen on 1 January.

Source: Daily Echo

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