Fulham will have to fight off Nottingham Forest if they want to go ahead and sign Bolton central defender Matt Mills.

The Bolton player is holding off signing a new contract at the Macron Stadium, and his agent is keenly sourcing a new club for the 28-year-old who made 41 appearances for the Trotters last season, scoring five goals.

Forest are also hot on the trail of the former England U19, who has a wealth of Championship experience behind him including stints with Reading and Leicester.

Whites tried a number of combinations in the centre of defence last season, but still leaked 83 goals - the second worst by a distance, and only eight fewer than hapless Blackpool - relegated from the Championship three weeks before the end.

Getwestlondon understands the club tried to get Mills on loan in January, but later settled on Michael Turner from Norwich instead.

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Fulham have been alerted to Mills’s availability, but talks are at early stage with the club taking stock of a promised raft of changes as boss Kit Symons promised at the end of a disappointing campaign.

Check out the audacious backheel from the Mills in the video.