Nottingham Forest are said to have held talks with free agent Emiliano Marcondes - but they could find themselves pipped by one of their Championship rivals.
The attacking midfielder has been the subject of much speculation since it was announced he was being released by Brentford.
That news earlier this month put a number of sides on alert, with his Bees contract officially expiring tomorrow.
The Reds, QPR, Barnsley and Norwich City have all been linked, while teams in France and Germany had reportedly put forward offers.
But it is West Bromwich Albion who may now have the edge, according to the Daily Express.
It is claimed the Baggies’ appointment of Valerian Ismael, who last week made the switch from the Tykes to the Hawthorns, has “changed the picture”.
Ismael was said to be “a key driving force” behind Barnsley targeting Marcondes, as both they and Forest “were amongst those in talks” to secure his signature.
The Frenchman’s change of clubs is said to have led to a cooling of interest in the player at Oakwell - and Marcondes is now on Albion’s “newly-devised transfer shortlist”.
The 26-year-old played a key part in Brentford’s play-off success during the last campaign, scoring in the final as they secured a place in the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Swansea City.
That was one of three goals Marcondes netted in 40 appearances in 2020/21, and it came as part of a man of the match performance at Wembley.
In total, he has featured just shy of 100 times for the Bees, after joining from FC Nordsjaelland in 2018.
Following his strike against the Swans, he admitted he was hoping for a new deal with Thomas Frank’s side, saying: "I have been hoping and waiting for a new contract for a long time.
"But I have kept my concentration on the training and on the pitch, and to focus on what I can control.
"I can't control a new contract. Of course I hope to play (in the) Premier League, it's my biggest dream. To come from a small town in Denmark and reach the Premier League would be unbelievable."
Forest have yet to add to their squad this summer, but strengthening his attacking resources is a priority for boss Chris Hughton before the transfer window closes.
