Norwich City have targeted Dundee United’s teenage forward Brandon Forbes.
The 18-year-old, who has made three senior appearances in the cups for the Tangerines, has been identified by the Canaries as initially a development signing.
Forbes scored a League Cup free kick winner four minutes into his senior debut in July to beat Ayr, but has yet to feature in the Scottish Premiership for the Tannadice club.
Initial reports in Scotland suggested City were prepared to fork out £150,000 to bring Forbes south, with the Canaries having already loaned centre back Emmanuel Adegboyega to United earlier this season.
The Dundee Courier later claimed the Tangerines are guaranteed £300,000 that could rise to £500,000 with a 20pc sell on part of the agreement.
Forbes is now believed to have headed south to seal a move to the Canaries ahead of the transfer deadline on Friday night.
Brandon Forbes set to sign for @NorwichCityFC.
Fee rumoured to be around £150,000.#Scotland #DundeeUnited #Norwich
— Callum Hart (@CallumHart0) August 29, 2024
Forbes spent three years in the Rangers academy before a year with Partick Thistle.
The teenager is reportedly in the final 12 months of his current deal, but interviewed by the Dundee Courier in the summer after his goalscoring senior debut admitted he had rediscovered his love for the game following his youth football experiences.
“I played for Rangers from seven years old until I was about 10,” he said. “Then, I took a year break and went to Partick Thistle.
“I had fallen out with football – if that makes sense – and lost a lot of confidence.
“So, I went back to my boys’ club Thorn Athletic in Renfrewshire for a couple of years before I came to Dundee United, and we won the Scottish Cup.
“Playing with your friends at that kind of level, you can get your confidence back with one game, never mind a couple of years. That’s where I came through and they helped me a lot between professional academies.
“I just built myself back up until we won the Scottish Cup – and that’s where I kicked on.”
Both the Canaries’ sporting director and Danish head coach, Johannes Hoff Thorup, have made it clear developing young talent will be a key part of the strategy moving forward at first team and academy level.
City lured Gabe Forsyth from Hamilton in 2023, and the 18-year-old has now forced his way into Thorup’s senior plans and earned a new improved Carrow Road deal in recent weeks.
