Reynolds was back at pre-season training with Motherwell on Tuesday

Motherwell's Craig Brown has touted Mark Reynolds for Nottingham Forest - as only by selling the defender will he be able to strengthen his own squad.

"I think Nottingham would be excellent for him," said the manager at Fir Park. "But we have not had one official enquiry to the club for him.

"His agent is working on it. We would lose a terrific player, but it would give us funds to strengthen the team.

"Without Mark going, we can't sign anyone. That's it in a nutshell."

Reynolds, who has a year left of his contract, came close to being transferred to Rangers in 2008, when then manager Mark McGhee rejected a £750,000 offer, and has also been linked with Forest, among other English clubs.

"Mark wants to progress his career and he has been very good to Motherwell," Brown said of the 23-year-old.

I know Forest's two centre-backs and I think Mark Reynolds is at least as good or better than them Motherwell manager Craig Brown

"He was an ever-present and missed just one game in the last two seasons, the last game of last season at Ibrox.

"Mark Reynolds deserves the best move he can get and the club is supportive of his move because it would benefit the club financially but also because it would benefit Mark and he has been such a good servant here."

Brown would love to see the defender sign for his good friend, Billy Davies, at Forest and has made tentative steps to establish whether his former assistant at Preston is interested.

"Billy Davies is on holiday in the USA," said the Motherwell manager. "Billy and I are very friendly and he hasn't discussed Mark with me.

"That doesn't mean to say that he won't when he comes back from his break, but he hasn't so far.

"I've heard that story too, so I sent him a text message yesterday to see what was happening and whether he was interested. I think he gets back from his holiday tomorrow.

Davies's Forest lost out in the promotion play-offs

"It's just so I can say to the player that there is an interest in him. Mark deserves that, there is no finer guy."

Brown thinks Reynolds would improve Forest's chances of winning promotion to the Premier League in England.

"I know their two centre-backs and I think he's at least as good or better than them - that's my considered and humble opinion," he said.

"He would strengthen Nottingham Forest in my opinion, but I'm not picking Billy's team for him as Billy would tell you.

"We are good friends and he knows what I think of Mark Reynolds and we have very seldom differed on the opinion of a player. We still agree on the quality of a football player."

Meanwhile, Brown has admitted an interest in Charlton Athletic goalkeeper Darren Randolph but stressed that any signing was not imminent.

The 23-year-old former Republic of Ireland Under-21 international has had loan spells with Accrington Stanley, Gillingham, Bury and Hereford United while at the Valley.

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