Nottingham Forest centre-back Zach Abbott

Zach Abbott will go on loanImago

Sources: Southampton and Millwall agree terms with Nottingham Forest over defender deal

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Published on:

01 Sep 2026, 7:22 am

Southampton and Millwall have agreed terms with Nottingham Forest over a loan deal for Zach Abbott, sources have told Football Insider.

The Saints are the favourites to win the race for the Forest 20-year-old, with Tonda Eckert keen to strengthen his back-line.

The England youth international is keen to seek more regular senior football this season after making 10 senior appearances for the Tricky Trees in the last campaign.

Capable of playing right-back and at centre-back, Abbott started Europa League quarter-final, impressing against FC Porto in April.

Despite featuring regularly in pre-season, the defender has failed to get a look-in under Oliver Glasner in the first three games of the new campaign.

And the £34million arrival of Ousmane Diomande is set to only further limit his opportunities, with the obvious solution being a loan.

He's one of our own. ❤️

We're delighted to announce that Zach Abbott has signed a new contract with the Club until the summer of 2029. ✍️
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) July 23, 2025

Is Zach Abbott ready for the Championship?

There are few more difficult leagues for a young centre-back than the Championship.

While Abbott has already featured several times for Nottingham Forest, a potential loan move will be his first taste of regular senior football.

A move to the likes of Southampton and Millwall will likely suit him, however, given that both teams like to dominate possession.

The young defender is confident on the ball and capable of reading the game well, making him a strong addition to a team hoping to keep the game under control.

Abbott's potential arrival at Southampton comes in the immediate aftermath of Taylor Harwood-Bellis' £30million move to Aston Villa.

Keven Schlotterbeck has already arrived this summer and will likely be the 24-year-old's initial replacement, but Abbott will be expected to compete for the position.

Sources: Millwall, Watford, Southampton and Hibernian chase Nottingham Forest star Zach Abbott

What Sean Dyche thought about Abbott

Abbott's first season of semi-regular senior football was a difficult and tumultuous one for Nottingham Forest.

The Tricky Trees fought relegation all season under the leadership of four different managers - Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou, Sean Dyche and Vitor Pereira.

The last of them was the only one of them to find some good form, but he was replaced by Glasner at the end of the campaign.

Speaking in February, Dyche was asked about his inclusion of Abbott and said: "Zach is a good pro and has been working hard.

"He did well when he played in the Europa League. It was my decision to play him.”

Oliver Glasner