According to reliable journalist John Percy, Nottingham Forest are now in ‘advanced talks’ to sign Liverpool defender Neco Williams.

The Lowdown: Forest win the race

The Welshman has worked his way up through the ranks at Anfield, from being an academy graduate to a member of the senior first-team squad.

The 21-year-old spent the second half of last season out on loan at Fulham due to a serious lack of game time, and this has recently seen him linked with a permanent move away from Merseyside.

It’s believed that the Cottagers were keen on re-signing him after a successful spell, but interest was also coming from the City Ground, and a move to the Midlands now appears highly likely to be on the cards.

The Latest: Reds in ‘advanced talks’ with Williams

In a Twitter post, Percy revealed that Forest are ‘hopeful’ of being able to complete a deal for Williams in the coming days. He said:

“NFFC in advanced talks with Liverpool over a £16m deal for Neco Williams. Talks have progressed today and Forest are increasingly hopeful of signing the Wales international before this weekend.”

The Verdict: Clever bit of business

It comes as no surprise to see that Williams is looking for a move away from Liverpool considering he hasn’t been able to seriously challenge Trent Alexander-Arnold, and this could be a decent bit of business for Forest after completing the signing of Moussa Niakhate.

The 21-cap international, who was once described as a ‘fearless’ player by football journalist Henry Winter, scored twice and registered two assists in just 15 outings across all competitions for Fulham last season, as per Transfermarkt, highlighting his attacking qualities and desire to get forward.

Steve Cooper will be wanting to bolster his ranks with players that already have experience in the English top-flight, and Williams is someone who’s got that under his belt, so could be a great addition to the Reds’ starting XI as they look forward to an exciting campaign back in the Premier League.