Portsmouth rivals chase £17m Chelsea talent as Nottingham Forest plot £8m Birmingham City swoop

Championship transfer speculation is intensifying ahead of the January window, with Portsmouth's rivals linked to high-profile moves. Blackburn Rovers are reportedly targeting Chelsea's 19-year-old winger Kendry Paez on a loan deal, facing competition from Celtic. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest and Fiorentina are tracking Birmingham City defender Phil Neumann, who is valued by the league leaders between €5m and €10m (£8.3m).

Neumann, 29, joined Birmingham on a free transfer from Hannover 96 and has started every league game under manager Chris Davies. Paez arrived at Stamford Bridge for £17m from Independiente del Valle but has yet to make a first-team appearance for Chelsea, following loan spells with Strasbourg and River Plate.