Nottingham Forest are ready to lock horns with Championship rivals Leeds United in the race for Manchester City striker John Guidetti, FootballDirectNews.com understands.
The outspoken Swede, who is currently on loan at Stoke City where he is yet to open his account, is out of favour at the Etihad Stadum and available for a modest fee this summer. Stuart Pearce, who today penned a two-year contract to take over as Forest boss on July 1, has scouted the player in the past as part of his England under-21 duties and is keen to push through a deal, a Forest source told FDN. It is thought that Guidetti would prefer to stay in England despite interest from Serie A duo Sassuolo and Sampdoria. Leeds hope the uncertainty surrounding Italian businessman Massimo Cellino’s takeover bid and interest in the club from a Manchester businessman will not hold up summer transfer deals. City are expected to hold out for a fee in the region of 1. 5million for the striker, who has lashed out in the Scandinavian media over his lack of first-team opportunities at Stoke. Watch Chelsea v Stoke on Saturday and Arsenal v Everton, West Ham v Liverpool on Sunday.
