Costel Pantilimon, essentially Watford's fourth-choice goalkeeper, is cutting his loan at Deportivo la Coruna short to return to England, where he will quickly be on the move north to Nottingham Forest.

The 30-year-old will move to the City Ground, according to Spanish outlet Marca, to provide competition for current first-choice Jordan Smith.

The former Romanian first-choice has barely been used by the Spanish club this season, and was dropped after a 1-0 home defeat to Atletico Madrid in November. He has not played a single league game for the club since.

He initially joined Watford as back-up to Heurelho Gomes in January 2016, but aside from cup appearances only took to the field twice in league outings against Liverpool and Middlesbrough last season.

Pantilimon is still on the fringes of the Romania squad, and played twice for them during the last international break.

He is now in his seventh season under contract with an English club, having first joined Manchester City in 2011, although he did not make his league debut for the club for more than two years.