Derby County offered fresh hope in late Nottingham Forest transfer chase | OneFootball

Swansea City looked to be in pole position for a deal for the midfielder, but the deal has hit a snag.

Derby County have been boosted by fresh hope that they can still work a deal for Nottingham Forest midfielder, Lewis O'Brien.

According to Alan Nixon via Patreon, Swansea City looked as though they were going to complete the signing of the former Huddersfield Town man on Sunday afternoon, but the move is now in doubt due to a personal issue.

The Rams are now back fighting with Blackburn Rovers and Preston North End for the 26-year-old, while Luton Town are also reportedly interested.

Derby are looking to add to their squad ahead of Monday's 11pm deadline, and O'Brien's experience in midfield is seen as much-needed by Paul Warne, it seems.

Derby offered fresh hope in O'Brien battle

Nixon had first linked the Rams with O'Brien early on Sunday morning, but as the day progressed, it became clearer that Swansea were leading the way and were set to win the race.

However, the midfielder's wife is due to give birth during the season, and therefore, he wants to stay more local than a move to South Wales, after playing in the MLS with LAFC in 2024.

This has reignited Blackburn's and Preston's interest, but it is Derby who have offered the second-best financial package to bitter rivals Nottingham Forest after the Swans, and they may end up winning the battle in a shock move, as per the report.

The two Lancashire sides have not quite offered enough to the high-flying Premier League club, and they will need to up their bids in order to strike a deal for O'Brien.

Derby are keen to bring in a midfielder

While the attacking and defensive departments still need adding to, a midfielder has been on Warne's radar for the last week.

Dan Barlaser has been targeted by the Rams in this window, and although talks were held about a move to the East Midlands from Middlesbrough, the situation has started to quieten down.

Injuries in the middle of the park for Derby has left resources stretched over the course of this season, and the signing of O'Brien will only help them in their battle to remain competitive in midfield, with points desperately needed ahead of the run-in.

Warne's side remain in the bottom three of the Championship, two points from safety, and a run of seven successive league defeats in a row has left the Rams desperate for fresh faces. The Forest midfielder has played plenty of games at this level in the past, and he could prove to be a shrewd addition if a deal is brokered between the two rivals.