Nottingham Forest make Alex Mighten decision after loan bids from Hearts, Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich

Nottingham Forest have agreed to let Hearts target Alex Mighten leave on loan but the City Ground hierarchy want him to stay in England.

The English Premier League club received loan offers from Hearts, Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich Town for the 20-year-old. Talks with Wednesday are at an advanced stage and they are now favourites to complete a deal before the summer transfer window closes on September 1.

Hearts hoped the chance to play European football would tempt Forest into sending Mighten to Tynecastle Park for the rest of the season. However, as things stand, Sheffield looks his most likely destination.

Forest’s Greek owners had delayed a decision on the player but in the last 24 hours they agreed he can spend time out on loan to gain more first-team experience. He made his Premier League debut on the first weekend of the season at Newcastle.

After playing 86 minutes of the midweek EFL Cup victory at Grimsby, Mighten is preparing for a loan spell at Hillsborough. He is expected to finalise that move in the next 48 hours barring any late setbacks.

Hearts need another attacking player to strengthen their forward line for domestic and European matches. They are keen to challenge close to the top of the Scottish Premiership and face six demanding fixtures in the Europa Conference League during September, October and November.

They face Istanbul Basaksehir, Fiorentina and Riga FS in Europe and will continue to pursue attacking targets before the deadline. Six signings were completed earlier this summer – defenders Kye Rowles, Lewis Neilson and Alex Cochrane, midfielder Jorge Grant, winger Alan Forrest and striker Lawrence Shankland.

German midfielder Orestis Kiomourtzoglou is expected to join the Edinburgh club in a £350,000 move from Dutch side Heracles Almelo this week.