Nottingham Forest agree £17m transfer fee for Neco Williams with Liverpool

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Nottingham Forest have agreed a £17 million fee with Liverpool for full-back Neco Williams.

The Wales international is set to join the promoted club if he agrees personal terms. He is likely to become their fifth summer signing and would take their spending this window past £50m.

Forest’s move for Williams signals a recognition they are unlikely to be able to buy Djed Spence, who was a revelation for them at right wing-back while on loan from Middlesbrough last summer. The 21-year-old is instead expected to join Tottenham.

Williams made 33 appearances for Liverpool, helping them to win the Premier League in 2020, as Trent Alexander-Arnold’s understudy and spent the second half of last season on loan at Fulham as they won the Championship.

Liverpool have already replaced him while making a profit by bringing in the Aberdeen teenager Calvin Ramsay for an initial £4m.

Williams’ departure would mean that Liverpool, who have already sold Sadio Mane and Takumi Minamino, have brought in around £70m, almost paying for the arrivals of Darwin Nunez, Fabio Carvalho and Ramsay.

Joining Forest should give Williams regular Premier League football ahead of Wales’ first World Cup for 64 years. He has won 21 caps, often playing on the left flank for his country.

Forest have made striker Taiwo Awoniyi their club record buy, as well as buying Giulian Biancone and Moussa Niakite and taking goalkeeper Dean Henderson on loan from Manchester United.

They are thought to be interested in Bayern Munich’s Omar Richards while Huddersfield left-back Harry Toffolo is a target, though no fee has yet been agreed with the Terriers.