Nottingham Forest take significant action as Middlesbrough plot transfer | OneFootball

Premier League side Nottingham Forest have decided to banish club captain Joe Worrall from first-team training, amid links to Middlesbrough.

That is according to the Daily Mail, who state that Worrall as well as fellow defender Scott McKenna have been told to train on alternative pitches, with no official explanation as of yet.

This news comes after it emerged from The Sun, that Championship side Middlesbrough are interested in signing Worrall, as Michael Carrick seeks defensive options.

Boro find themselves light at the back, as Darragh Lenihan has been ruled out, which likely means he will miss the rest of the season. While they have also been missing Dael Fry, which has seen them become increasingly light at centre-back.

So, with this news emerging about Worrall, it could well boost Middlesbrough’s hopes of signing the defender in the upcoming January transfer window.

Joe Worrall’s Nottingham Forest performances so far this season

Worrall has been on the books at the City Ground for a while now, and after spending time on loan at Rangers in the 2018/29 season, he has established himself as a first-team member.

The 26-year-old was crucial for the club in the Championship, especially in the 2021/22 season, where he played 42 times as the club were promoted to the Premier League.

His importance was shown again, as Worrall played 30 times in the Premier League, but towards the end of the campaign, he lost his place in the starting XI as Steve Cooper relied on some of his new signings.

However, Worrall earned the trust of Cooper once again at the start of this season. But after the game against Burnley, Worrall lost his place in the team, with him either being on the bench or missing out on the squad altogether in the league games since.

So far, in this campaign, he has six league appearances to his name, but he missed out on the squad once again on Wednesday night, as Forest were thumped 5-0 by Fulham.

Middlesbrough identify Joe Worrall as a defensive option

As mentioned, it was reported recently by The Sun, that Carrick has identified Worrall as a potential option in the January transfer window.

It is expected that Middlesbrough will back Carrick in the upcoming transfer window, but a deal involving Worrall may more likely be a loan deal according to this report.

Another defender that was on the list is Leeds United’s Charlie Cresswell, while Derby County’s Eiran Cashin has also been mentioned in recent days.

It remains unclear who Carrick would ideally prefer, but according to the Daily Mail, Worrall has now been told by Forest that he is free to leave the club next month.

Boro are clearly in the market for a new defender in January, whether that be a loan deal or a permanent one.

So, now that it has been reported that Forest are willing to let Worrall leave the club in January, Middlesbrough must act swiftly if he is the one Carrick wants, as he can boost their promotion hopes.

The central defender has been there and done it in the Championship, and he would bring leadership qualities and experience to Middlesbrough’s back four.

There will no doubt be teams from the second tier looking at this news with possible interest, so if he is someone Carrick is very much keen on, then Boro shouldn’t let this opportunity slip by.