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Aitor Karanka hopes Nottingham Forest will sign a right-back before Bournemouth visit the City Ground this weekend – and has confirmed Sam Byram is among their targets.

The Reds boss believes his squad will have strength in depth in every area of the pitch if they can add another full-back to compete with Tendayi Darikwa.

And he says the club are working hard to sign the "right one" to maintain the summer of impressive work Forest have done in the transfer market.

Former Leeds United man Bryam – who came off the bench for the final three minutes of West Ham’s 3-1 win at Aston Villa on Wednesday night - still tops their list of targets, even if Karanka offered a reminder Forest do have other options, if required.

But, while Forest are also monitoring Bristol Rovers’ Wales international Tom Lockyer, it is 24-year-old Byram the Reds are still pursuing as their primary target, with the club open to the idea of either a loan deal, with a view to a permanent move, or deal to buy the player immediately.

Karanka confirmed he hopes to see something happen in the next 48 hours, saying: “Yes, I hope it happens before the weekend.

“We have been doing business really well since the season finished. We know the players we have targeted and it is about bringing in the right one.

“We are not going to make a mistake, because we are building a very good squad and we need to be sure that the right-back who comes in, is also the right one.”

Karanka confirmed Byram is a player Forest are pursuing.

“Sam is one of them (we are looking at). He is a Premier League player and we need to work differently in different situations,” he said.

“I have known Sam since he played for Leeds.

(Image: Dan Westwell)

“There are more players on the list, because we have to try to bring in the best option for us.”

Byram joined the Hammers from Leeds in January 2016, when he was regarded as one of the brightest prospects outside of the top flight.

But he has found himself down the pecking order in the capital, where West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini has signed right-back Ryan Fredericks from Fulham on a free transfer this summer.