Nottingham Forest have been dealt a frustrating update in their pursuit of signing Reading midfielder Josh Laurent, according to a recent report from Berkshire Live.
The lowdown
Chris Hughton's side had reportedly been keen on reaching an agreement to sign Laurent, who has caught the eye with some strong showings in his first season with Reading, having signed for the club after a spell with League One side Shrewsbury Town.
Football Insider claimed that Forest had made a bid in the region of £2million-£3million for Laurent this summer.
According to Transfermarkt, Laurent is valued at £1.8million, but it seems as though Reading value the midfielder higher than that, even though he has one year remaining on his contract.
Reading's financial restrictions have been well-documented, with manager Veljko Paunovic revealing that some first-team players could still be heading for the exit door before the 2021/22 campaign gets underway.
The latest
Berkshire Live have reported that Laurent is keen to stay at Reading for the 2021/22 season, which will be pleasing to hear for their supporters.
But it's far from ideal for Nottingham Forest, who were evidently eager to strike an agreement to sign the former Shrewsbury Town midfielder, who made 46 appearances in total for Reading last term as they narrowly missed out on a top-six finish in the Championship.
It remains to be seen as to whether the Reds will come back in with a second offer for Laurent's services at this stage, or whether they'll turn their attention to other transfer targets in the next couple of weeks.
The verdict
It's a frustrating update for Nottingham Forest, who are clearly long-term admirers of Laurent, and it's not difficult to see why.
The 26 year-old had an excellent first season with Reading, boasting an average Whoscored rating of 6.88 as the Berkshire-based side finished seventh in the second-tier standings.
Laurent was nominated for the Championship Player of the Month award in January 2021, earning a description as 'superb reader of the play' (quotes sourced from Berkshire Live).
"Has provided the midfield shield upon which Reading’s season has been founded.
"A superb reader of the play and a dynamo with bundles of energy, he also picks the right pass going forward. Scored the pivotal first goal against Bournemouth."
It'll be interesting to see whether Hughton and co are to come back in with a second bid for Laurent's services, with the new Championship campaign set to get underway on Friday.