DAVID Vaughan has officially agreed a two-year deal to keep him at Nottingham Forest permanently.
As predicted in the Post this week, the on-loan Sunderland man has agreed a switch to the City Ground in the summer.
Vaughan, 31, extended his loan stay at the club at the end of January, but had been frustrated by a knee injury that had seen him side-lined since.
But the Welsh international made a successful return to the action against Birmingham on Saturday, playing almost an hour of the 1-0 win before being substituted.
Caretaker boss Gary Brazil hopes the influential midfielder - who will see his Sunderland contract expire in the summer - will be available again to face Leeds at Elland Road tomorrow, as Forest look to revive their hopes of making the play-offs in the remaining three games.
The 1-0 win over the Blues lifted them to within three points of sixth-placed Brighton and, while it is still going to take a remarkable turnaround if Forest are to stage an unlikely revival, they will be bolstered by the fact that Vaughan can play a part in it.
And, when Stuart Pearce officially takes charge of the club on July 1, he will inherit a midfield that is packed with quality, with Henri Lansbury, Andy Reid, Jamie Paterson, Jamie Mackie and Radi Majewski all likely to be fully fit in pre-season.
Forest are also considering whether to make a permanent move for Lee Peltier, who has made a big impact since joining the club on loan from Leeds.
Peltier, who had previously been skipper of the Yorkshire side, will not be allowed to play tomorrow as part of the terms of his loan deal.
