A return to the City Ground for Cyrus Christie is said to have collapsed, as Nottingham Forest look to ease their defensive woes.
The Fulham defender spent last season on loan with the Reds and made the right-back position his own, racking up 44 Championship appearances - all of which came in the starting XI.
He has yet to feature for the Cottagers this term as they look to bounce back to the Premier League at the first attempt, and has not been included on the substitutes’ bench.
And Sky Sports claim a move to Forest has “broken down” after the parties failed to agree personal terms.
The Reds have signed Jordi Osei-Tutu, on loan from Arsenal to strengthen that position, but he had been forced to play on the left side, amid a dearth of options, prior to suffering a hamstring injury.
Academy graduate Jordan Gabriel has been given his chance at right-back, after returning from last term’s loan spell at Blackpool.
A red card against Blackburn Rovers, though, meant he missed Saturday’s defeat at Stoke City, with teenager Fin Back called upon for his full league debut instead.
Gabriel has been the subject of much interest from the Seasiders and Sunderland. Blackpool are understood to have enquired several times about signing him permanently.
It is unlikely Forest would even consider letting him go without bringing someone in first, however, given they are currently light on cover across the back line.
Boss Chris Hughton has been forced to field a makeshift defence early on in the campaign.
Along with Osei-Tutu’s hamstring issue, Joe Worrall has been sidelined for the opening four league games with a calf problem, while fellow centre-back Loic Mbe Soh is out with a groin injury.
In addition to the suspension for Gabriel, Gaetan Bong was banned for three games after an incident at Coventry City. He was initially told his services were no longer required in the summer, but came back into the frame amid the shortage of left-backs.
Right-back Carl Jenkinson remains on the books, but has also been told he is free to move on - with Hughton last week confirming there was unlikely to be a way back for the former Arsenal man.
In June, Fulham took the decision to activate a clause in Christie's contract to extend his stay at Craven Cottage for a further year.
