Everton are frequently sending scouts to observe Nottingham Forest defender Joe Worrall, according to the Daily Mirror (27/11, page 6 of their football pull-out).
Worrall has been a mainstay of Sabri Lamouchi’s plans at the City Ground this term, with the Forest product starting each of his side’s opening 16 Championship fixtures, in which they kept six clean sheets.
The 22-year-old saw out the full 90 minutes at the heart of Lamouchi’s defence over his appearances, too, and was credited with the assist for Ben Watson’s winning goal at home to Brentford in October.
Creating Watson’s strike at home to the Bees was Worrall’s first assist for Forest in senior football, having returned to the second-tier side in the summer from a loan spell with Rangers, where he made 32 appearances and scored twice across all competitions last season.
He is now rated as a £5.4million centre-back following his time in the Scottish Premiership, having been valued as high as £7.2m in January, although Forest’s asking price remains to be seen and would expectedly be higher given he signed a new, long-term contract in October that runs until 2022.
Would you sign Worrall in January?
Yes
No
Over his 16 appearances in the Championship between the season beginning in August and facing Bristol City last Saturday, Worrall registered 93 clearances, 18 interceptions, 10 successful tackles from 14 attempts and won 47 of his 65 aerial duels, per WhoScored data.
The former England U21 international also made 26 blocks, 43 accurate long passes, 427 accurate short passes and only lost possession four times through unsuccessful touches and never through being dispossessed.
Newcastle United are also noted in the Mirror’s report as to frequently sending scouts to observe the 6 ft 2 centre-half in action.