Aston Villa Set to Wrap Up £16m Move for Nottingham Forest Defender Matty Cash

Premier League side Aston Villa are set to finalise a deal worth £16m for Nottingham Forest full-back Matty Cash, as coach Dean Smith closes in on his first transfer of the summer.

The 23-year-old has excelled for the Tricky Trees over the past couple of years, and he was voted as the fans' Player of the Season for the 2019/20 campaign. The Englishman's heroics on the field have not gone unnoticed at top-flight level however, and once Forest dramatically missed out on a playoff position on the final day of the season, his future seemed destined to lie away from the City Ground.

John Percy of The Telegraph reports that the Villans are now 'close' to concluding a deal worth up to £16m for Cash, and the defender will soon have a medical with the Premier League side to end his six-year stay with the Reds.

Forest would have been desperate to hold on to their dynamic talisman for next season, and they were keen to price the competition out of a summer move. However, Villa have met the requirements to land the flying defender, who will become one of the most expensive full-backs in Championship history.

Smith's men will be hoping to avoid relegation once more, having narrowly escaped the drop on the final day of the previous campaign. Villa's defence will have caused plenty of concern for their manager, after shipping 67 goals in 38 matches - the second worst record in the entire division.

So, Cash's arrival will give Villans hope of a steady presence on their wing, and one who can improve their defensive solidity, whilst also providing a more clinical edge in the final third with his excellent delivery.

The versatile star can also perform in midfield, but his best displays have come since his change of position to the right-back slot.