Nottingham Forest manager Stuart Pearce has revealed that his efforts to sign Jack Hunt on a permanent basis have stalled after Crystal Palace doubled their asking price for the player.
The defender is currently at the City Ground on a loan agreement from the Eagles, with talks over a permanent switch taking place before the close of the summer transfer window.
Forest agreed personal terms with Hunt last week, only to find that Palace have since increased their valuation of the 23-year-old.
"We had agreed a fee with Crystal Palace, at the back end of the window when it was close to shutting. We could not agree terms with the player, at the time," Pearce told the Nottingham Post.
"Subsequently we have agreed everything with the player, when it comes to wages and such like, and we again matched Palace's initial price, which they had put on the lad's head. But when we went back to them to do the deal, over the past week, that price had apparently doubled.
"I have explained that to Jack, because he is desperate to come here and join us. He is disappointed. He feels the support we have given him has been fantastic, he is enjoying his football. We are ready to do the deal, but at the level that Palace have quoted us now, we cannot take that forward."
Hunt has made 12 appearances for Forest this season.
Steven Toplis
