EXCLUSIVE By Pete O’Rourke

Nottingham Forest have submitted a £500,000 bid for Reading defender Tyler Blackett and are rivalling Wigan for his signature, Football Insider understands.

Forest are in the market for defensive reinforcements before Thursday’s transfer deadline with Danny Fox on the verge of leaving to join Wigan.

New Forest boss Martin O’Neill is an admirer of Blackett as he offers versatility in that he is equally adept at playing at centre-back as well as left-back and he has tabled the offer in an attempt to boost his options at the City Ground.

Wigan have been chasing Blackett since the transfer window opened at the start of the month and have already seen one bid rejected for the 24-year-old.

Blackett came through the ranks at Manchester United and made 12 first-team appearances during his time at Old Trafford before joining Reading in the summer of 2016.

Reading are reluctant to lose Blackett as they battle to secure survival in the Championship, but they are bracing themselves for more offers from Forest and Wigan before Thursday’s transfer deadline.

In other Nottingham Forest transfer news, it can be revealed O’Neill is working on a last-gasp deal to recruit Stoke big name.