Steve Cooper says he didn't push to sign Djed Spence this summer because Wales and Liverpool star Neco Williams was always his number-one choice.
Spence was a key man for Cooper in Nottingham Forest's successful promotion charge last season, with the on-loan man garnering rave reviews for his displays.
It had been thought Forest would look to secure his signature permanently for their return to the Premier League but Tottenham swooped in to buy him from Middlesbrough for a fee worth £15million.
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Cooper instead opted for Wales' Williams, and the boss insists he was his first choice all along, especially when he found out Liverpool were letting him go.
"Neco was in high demand, we were in the mix for him because he could have been available from Liverpool," Cooper said. "Once we met and both wanted to do it then we felt it was too good an opportunity to turn down.
"We've done it with other players where we have signed them because the deals are there to be done and we couldn't take the risk of waiting for others.
"It was topical with Djed. He was part of last season's success but it was a case of not losing out on Neco, rather than waiting for one or two others.
"I don't want to compare them because it's not fair and Djed is a Spurs player now. That's not my domain. We're just really happy with Neco. He got that regular rhythm on loan at Fulham last season, which I think was important. Now he's had a really good start and done some really good things and I know there are things that he is desperate to get better at."
Forest and Spurs face off at the City Ground on Sunday afternoon.
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