West Ham have no time to waste amid Josh Mulligan transfer update
West Ham United's drop down to the Championship could make signing their top targets all the more difficult.
With no Premier League football on offer, the Hammers will have to drop down a level in terms of the quality they can bring in.
However, even then, they could still face plenty of road bumps in their quest to build a promotion-winning side.
That same fear looks to be bubbling already, with interest from a Premier League side in transfer target Josh Mulligan.
The Hammers could face disappointment in their hunt for the Hibernian midfielder if they do not move fast.
What has been said about interest in Josh Mulligan?
Previous reports have suggested that West Ham are taking a relaxed approach to their interest in Mulligan, with the Irons looking to make sales first.
But that luxury may not be afforded for quite as long as the E20 outfit would have hoped.
According to the Daily Mail, Nottingham Forest have now entered the race for the Hibernian star.
They share that Mulligan "has been discussed" at the City Ground as they look to bring in another midfielder in the summer transfer window.
With no Premier League football to offer, the Irons may have to move quicker than they expected if they want to land the 23-year-old.
The longer they now wait, the higher the risk that Nottingham Forest could swoop in and hijack any transfer for Mulligan.
Nuno Espirito Santo may also want to have as many of his potential new players at Rush Green as soon as possible.
That way they can begin to embed quickly into life at London Stadium ahead of an important season in the Championship.
Mulligan is a highly-rated midfielder within Scotland, with Hibernian manager David Gray describing him as "one of the most eye-catching young players" in Scottish football.
The Hammers will not want to miss out on signing him.
Do West Ham have any other incentives to offer Mulligan?
Nottingham Forest do have an advantage in offering Premier League football, but in the same sense that could be twisted into a positive for West Ham.
The jump from the Scottish Premiership to England's top flight is quite a steep one.
If West Ham can convince Mulligan that a season in the Championship before experiencing Premier League football is the best move for his career, they can move one step ahead of Forest.
Of course, that would have to be a delicate conversation as it could be implied that the Irons are telling Mulligan he is not ready for that step, and the midfielder could turn his nose up at West Ham.
However, this can be completely avoided if West Ham make their move as soon as possible.