Ipswich Town are weighing up a loan offer for young Nottingham Forest striker Will Swan, we understand.

Swan, 20, has been a prolific goalscorer at youth level and recently signed a long-term deal at the City Ground after getting a taste of Championship action with a couple of substitute appearances.

Boss Chris Hughton has now made the youngster available for loan in the hope he can develop in the same way that talented homegrown front men Tyler Walker and Brennan Johnson have done at League One Lincoln City over the last 18 months.

Town boss Paul Lambert has made it clear he is looking to strengthen his front line before Monday’s 11pm transfer deadline.

With Oli Hawkins out for six weeks following knee surgery, James Norwood managing a hamstring problem and Kayden Jackson now suspended for the next three games, the Blues have just Aaron Drinan and Freddie Sears as striker options heading into this afternoon's ninth versus 10th League One clash at Crewe.

Speaking this morning, Lambert said: "We’ll see if we can get a young one in. It has to be that because of the way the salary cap is. We’ve tried for a couple that we lost out on to other teams. We’ll try again."

Swan joined Forest’s academy at the relatively late age of 13 and has gone on to prove himself a consistent goal getter.

In 2018/19, he bagged 14 goals as Forest’s U18s finished third in the table.

Last season, he broke into Forest’s U23s side and scored in a 3-1 win at Portman Road (Sept 2019). He then went on loan to Cornish non-league side Truro City in January and scored nine goals in as many games.

Swan continued to find the net regularly at the start of this campaign, scoring eight times in eight games for Forest’s U23s (including a brace against Colchester) to force himself into Hughton’s first team plans.

And after being rewarded with cameo displays in Championship defeats to Swansea and Reading, he signed a new contract that runs until 2024.

“He’s impressed me when I’ve seen him,” said Hughton. “He looks like he’s always going to get an opportunity to score goals.

“He’s got that pace to get him away from defenders. If I’m looking at the under-23s squad we've got, speaking to Gary (Brazil) and Andy Reid, he’s one of the players that has done better."