Town are reported to be in advanced negotiations to sign Dutch midfielder Azor Matusiwa from Ligue 1 Rennes.
According to Le Parisien, Matusiwa was left out of a friendly against Saint-Brieuc this morning with discussions regarding a move to the Blues close to being finalised.
The 27-year-old defensive midfielder joined Rennes from Reims in January 2024 for €16 million (£13.8 million) having started his career at Ajax, after joining the Amsterdam club as a schoolboy from Almere City, before spells with De Graafschap (loan) and Groningen prior to moving to France and Reims in 2021.
Matusiwa, who is contracted to his current club until 2028, was born in Hilversum and played international football for the Netherlands at U16 and U21 levels but also qualifies for play for Angola.
The 5ft 8in tall midfielder is the second France-based player reported to be closing in on a move to the Blues over the last 24 hours with Reims defender Cédric Kipré having been reported to be nearing a loan move to Town yesterday.
Elsewhere, former Blues striker David McGoldrick, 37, has joined League One Barnsley having left hometown side Notts County at the end of last season.
The former Republic of Ireland international was interesting a number of clubs, the MK Dons, Chesterfield and Bradford among them.