Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Brice Samba is set to leave the newly-promoted Premier League side for Ligue 1 outfit Lens on a deal worth a reported £4.3million.
French outlet L'Equipe reported that the player was close to the move, with the finer details of the £4.3m deal being discussed by the two clubs and a deal is expected to be announced soon, subject to a medical.
The Athletic also report that the player had outlined his intentions to leave the City Ground, saying he would not sign any contract extension at Forest, with his current deal set to end next summer.
Reports suggest that Samba made his intentions to leave clear to Forest last month, before the club offered him a deal that did not meet the Congolese shot stoppers demands.
Suggestions are that Samba did not feel the proposed contract reflected his importance to the squad, or what he had achieved in three years with the side.
Samba will now arrive in France ahead of a medical at Lens, and is set to put pen to paper over a five-year deal at the Artois club.
He was reportedly one of Lens manager Franck Haise's priorities this window, with current No 1 Jean-Louis Leca, 36, entering the final year of his contract, and young Venezuelan stopper Wuilker Farinez expected to depart.
The Congolese keeper will now return to French football after a three-year hiatus having begun his career with Le Havre, who have produced high-profile players such as Paul Pogba and Lassana Diarra.
Brice joined Forest from Caen in 2019 for just £1.9m, making 131 appearances and keeping 45 clean sheets in all competitions.
The Premier League returnees have already ventured across the channel this window to bring in French defender Giulian Biancone from Troyes.
The 22-year-old started his career with Monaco and was sent on loan to Belgian side Cercle Brugge for two years before making a permanent switch to Troyes last summer.
Biancone joins former Liverpool forward Taiwo Awoniyi and Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson as Steve Cooper continues to build towards the start of the Premier League season.