Nottingham Forest defender Zach Abbott is undergoing a medical at Southampton as the clubs work towards a season-long loan move for the England Under-20 international.
The proposed agreement is understood to include an option for Southampton to buy the 20-year-old next summer. Abbott’s move to the Saints would give him the opportunity to secure regular first-team football in the Championship.
Southampton have been seeking defensive reinforcements after Taylor Harwood-Bellis moved closer to a transfer to Aston Villa. The club moved ahead of interest from several Championship rivals, including Millwall and Watford.
Abbott has made 13 appearances for Forest’s first team, including three in the Premier League. He also featured seven times in last season’s Europa League and started the 2025 FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. ([uk.sports.yahoo.com](https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/saints-working-deal-sign-nottingham-182800405.html?utm_source=openai))
Forest regard Abbott as a promising product of their academy, but the proposed move would allow him to gain more experience away from the City Ground before returning to compete for a place in Oliver Glasner’s squad.
