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Ben Brereton is set to leave Nottingham Forest for Blackburn Rovers before the end of the week in deal which could be worth up to £7m.

The move, which will initially be on loan, will spark a search for a replacement should it go through. Here, the Post looks at four players who are understood to be on the shortlist to replace Brereton, as well as a wildcard option for the Reds to consider.

Jermain Defoe (Bournemouth)

Pros: Talk about a proven goalscorer, Defoe has 20 goals in 57 England caps and has been a regular scorer throughout his career since bursting on the scene as a teenager.

Defoe has scored goals for West Ham, Portsmouth, Tottenham, Toronto and Sunderland, who were his most recent club before joining Bournemouth a year ago.

A natural finisher, he would barely need a sniff of goal to find the back of the net if he drops down to the Championship on loan. Was in the England squad as recently as March last year.

(Image: Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)

Cons: He’s almost 36 and is reportedly on £65,000 a week. It would likely be a serious outlay for Forest even if he came in on a relatively short-term basis.

Also, would he want to lead the line on his own in the hustle and bustle of the Championship when he can fight for his place in the Premier League. Have his legs gone? Forest have signed some veteran England strikers like Andy Cole and Ian Wright with limited success.

What’s been said?

“I’ve always been one of those players, even when I see rumours I always try to focus on the club you’re at. You have got a job to do, you’re here, you’re happy and that’s it,” Defoe told the Bournemouth Echo earlier this month when asked about a possible move to Rangers.

“The speculation is just part and parcel of it. Everyone gets it and you just get your head down, work hard and get ready for the season.”

Nelson Oliveira (Norwich)

Pros: Knows the Championship and knows Forest having enjoyed a pretty successful loan spell with the club in 2015/16, when was the Reds’ top scorer with nine league goals.

A technically sound player, he can link the play well and would fit in well to an Aitor Karanka team, especially one with so many Portuguese players. Aged 27, he is in his prime and would be available permanently by the look of it, perhaps at a reduced price.

(Image: PA)

Cons: Appears to have no future with Norwich under Daniel Farke, which means he is seriously lacking in match fitness. Did not play a single minute in pre-season and has not played in a completive game yet.

Although he is a Portuguese international with 17 caps, he is not necessarily a prolific goalscorer, although he has scored 19 in 42 league starts and 23 appearances from the bench for Norwich.

What’s been said?

Norwich boss Farke is not expecting any players to go this week.

“No sign at the moment that will happen and I don’t expect it,” he told the Eastern Daily Press. “You never know in this business. There could be a stupid offer, or perhaps an injury as we play at Cardiff and there are still some days left.

“Hopefully not. But we have enough time to react with a loan. It is not planned.”

Tammy Abraham (Chelsea)

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

Pros: Young and keen to prove himself still after a lean spell with Swansea last season. That said, he did play twice for England in that time and managed five Premier League goals in a team which went down.

The season before was a prolific one as he showed how much damage he can do in the Championship, scoring 23 goals in 41 games for Bristol City.

Cons: He is reportedly keen to stay at Premier League level with Chelsea. Forest would only be able to get him on loan in all likelihood, if they can get him at all with Aston Villa seemingly keen too. Does it make sense to sell a promising young striker in Brereton and replace him with a loan player?

What’s been said?

"It's up to him if he wants to remain here," Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri said.

"We are very happy with him, so I think that, until January, he will stay with us. I think."

Rudy Gestede (Middlesbrough)

(Image: Getty)

Pros: A proven Championship player who has given Forest a tough time before, Gestede can be a battering ram upfront even when playing on his own.

Might be available permanently in January, but Boro would want a good chunk of their £6m back for the 29-year-old.

Aitor Karanka knows him well – he signed him for £6m from Aston Villa in 2017.

Cons: Had a great record at Blackburn with 35 goals in 65 appearances, but he’s not done a lot since then. Scored 10 goals in 54 games for Villa and has six in 39 for his current club.

What’s been said?

“When I was speaking with our central defenders they told me how difficult it is to stop him,” Karanka said when he signed him at Middlesbrough.

“He is now with us and that is good for us. He caught my eye a lot. When I was analysing Blackburn it was difficult to stop him in the air.”

And the wildcard….

Scott Hogan (Aston Villa)

Pros: Hogan might well be a good option. After scoring 21 goals in 33 Championship games for Brentford, he joined Villa for £9m in January 2017. Still only 26, he is a good age with the potential to be moulded into a better player.

Looks to be available with Sheffield United heavily linked with a move for the player.

Cons: Hasn’t done that well for Villa. Only scored once in 13 games in his first half season at Villa Park and nine goals in 42 games last season wasn’t much better.