NOTTINGHAM Forest are close to snatching George Boyd from under the noses of Crystal Palace on transfer deadline day.
The Peterborough midfielder will hold talks at the City Ground this morning, with a view to making a permanent return to the Reds.
Forest have agreed a fee with Posh for the player, who had been expected to move to Selhurst Park after travelling to London for contract negotiations yesterday – with Palace also having had a bid accepted.
But Boyd is understood to favour a move back to Forest, where he has previously spent time on loan.
His last spell, having joined in March 2010, saw his chances limited as then manager Billy Davies handed him only five starts, amid talk his arrival had been influenced by football advisor David Pleat, rather than the Scotsman.
But 27-year-old Boyd, who has scored 100 goals in 388 starts and 32 sub appearances for Stevenage, Peterborough and Forest, was one of the names at the top of Alex McLeish's shopping list, as he looks to strengthen his squad.
Club sources say the Reds may have one or two other irons in the fire, on what may prove to be an eventful deadline day at the City Ground.
One of those is understood to be midfielder James McFadden, who previously played under McLeish at Birmingham. The 29-year-old Sunderland player could sign on loan.
The Reds have until 11pm to make new additions, with boss McLeish having repeatedly stated he feels the club need "three or four" new additions to bolster a push for the play-offs in the Championship.
But the club are also standing firm on their bid for Chris Burke – and will not up their £500k offer for the Birmingham winger. Forest had hoped the Blues could be persuaded to reconsider the second offer they had made for Scotsman Burke.
But a proposed £3m transfer of Blues keeper Jack Butland to Premier League Stoke may address their immediate financial concerns.
The fact Birmingham also rejected a double-bid from Wolves for defender Curtis Davies and striker Marlon King suggests they are not under immediate pressure to cash in on the rest of their assets.
Although that position may change if Butland's move does not go through, with Forest leaving the offer for 29-year-old Burke on the table.
Forest did add both Elliott Ward and Gonzalo Jara on loan from Norwich and West Brom respectively towards the start of the month, while striker Darius Henderson signed from Millwall on a free transfer last week.
Goalkeeper Khalid Al Rashidi became the first Kuwaiti player to sign for an English club when he signed a two-and-a-half year contract last night, but the international will not be expected to challenge immediately for a first-team place.
