Brereton closing in on Blackburn switch

Sky Sports understands that Blackburn Rovers are closing in on the loan signing of Ben Brereton from Championship rivals Nottingham Forest.

The Lancashire club have been chasing the teenager for some time and are now believed to have agreed personal terms ahead of a switch that would become permanent in January, at a cost of around £6m.

Having been named the division’s Apprentice of the Year in 2017, Brereton scored six goals in thirty-nine appearances for Forest last season including a strike in the 4-2 win over Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup.

However, he has not featured in any of Aitor Karanka’s squads so far this season with Daryl Murphy, Hillel Soudani and Lewis Grabban ahead of him in the pecking order.

Internationally, the nineteen-year-old has scored five goals in eighteen appearances for England’s U19s – three of which came in the sides victorious European Championship campaign last year making him the tournament’s joint-top scorer.