Nottingham Forest have been linked with a move for young attacking midfielder Ilyas El Khabchi.
According to TEAMTalk, the Reds could look to sign the Frenchman on a permanent basis, having taken him on trial earlier in the season.
Here’s what we know about the 21-year-old.
Where has he come from?
El Khabchi started his career with Evian Thonon, in his homeland but never made the breakthrough to the first-team.
He then moved on to semi-professional outfit Jura Dolois, in the French fifth tier, which is where he was apparently spotted by Forest.
Having left Dolois last summer, it is reported that he went on trial at the City Ground.
What happened next?
TEAMTalk claim El Khabchi started training with the Reds but suffered an injury and returned to France for treatment.
They say head coach Sabri Lamouchi had been impressed with him, though, and seemingly wants to have another look at him, with the youngster apparently back working with Forest’s Under-23s.
The report says the free agent “is set to sign a permanent deal this month”, if he can prove his fitness.
What could he bring?
El Khabchi is described as a diminutive playmaker, standing at 5ft 8in tall.
He has little top level professional experience, and if he is indeed being put through his paces with the Under-23s, it seems likely he would start off working with them if a deal materialises.
When El Khabchi was linked with the Reds initially, back in October, TEAMTalk said: “He was taken to Forest on trial and has caught the eye of Forest’s French coach Sabri Lamouchi, and they are set to hand him a deal before he gets the chance to train anywhere else.
“Lamouchi is keen to test the player out for their U23s side before seeing if he’s capable of pushing for a place in their first-team squad.”
