Newcastle United have been credited with renewed interest in Nottingham Forest defender Joe Worrall, according to the Daily Mirror (27/11, page 6 of their football pull-out).
Worrall has been in fine form under Sabri Lamouchi since returning to the City Ground in the summer from a loan spell with Rangers, where he made 32 appearances across all competitions last season and scored twice.
He is yet to score in the second-tier for Forest this term, but the 22-year-old has been a mainstay of the squad, having seen out the full 90 minutes in the heart of Lamouchi’s backline over his side’s opening 16 league matches.
His efforts helped toward six clean sheets, and created the winning strike at home to Brentford in October, when Worrall assisted Ben Watson for what was his first assist in senior football with his boyhood club.
Worrall has been imperious at the back this term, as well, after winning 47 of his 65 aerial duels over his 16 appearances in the Championship between the season beginning in August and facing Bristol City last Saturday, plus 93 clearances, 18 interceptions and 10 successful tackles from 14 attempts, per WhoScored data.
The Sun had linked us with a move for the 6 ft 2 centre-half in October, when they claimed that Steve Bruce is a big admirer of Worrall’s abilities and that he is eying a January deal for him.
Bruce was noted as plotting a swoop for Worrall on the cheap as his contract at the City Ground was due to expire in the summer, but he has since signed a new, long-term deal that runs until 2022.
Should we still try and sign Worrall in January?
Yes, absolutely
Only if the price is right
No, he isn't good enough
Putting pen to paper in October will likely have seen Forest’s unclaimed asking price rise above his current £5.4million TransferMarkt valuation, which declined at the end of Worrall’s time with Rangers having sat at £7.2m in January.