Pundit makes Middlesbrough claim amid Joe Worrall transfer development | OneFootball

After a disappointing loan spell in Turkey with Besiktas, Nottingham Forest defender Joe Worrall is set to leave the Turkish club this summer, and will likely be available for a move.

Worrall played just nine times for Nottingham Forest during the first-half of the season, playing just one minute of Premier League football from October onwards, so was subsequently sent on loan.

However, the 27-year-old has failed to make a big impact in the Turkish Süper Lig, and has played just eight times for Besiktas, with just five league starts to his name.

It's been reported by Turkish outlet Sporx that Besiktas will not take up an option to make Worrall's move permanent, which could be good news for Middlesbrough.

Carlton Palmer on Middlesbrough's chances of signing Joe Worrall

Former England international and current pundit Carlton Palmer believes that Joe Worrall will be interesting Middlesbrough again this summer, but believes the club's priority might be recruiting players in other positions.

Speaking to Football League World, Palmer said: "Joe Worrall has told Besiktas that he would like to return next season.

“Besiktas have a clause in the defender’s loan deal to make it permanent in the summer, but it’s claimed that Besiktas do not want to make the deal permanent.

“At 27, he’s so far played six times for Besiktas in the Süper Lig since leaving the City Ground in February, and they’ve said they don’t want to pursue taking Worrall on a permanent contract. “That will bring in the likes of Middlesbrough, who will be looking for a central defender, but I think they’ve made their priorities a midfield player and a forward.

“The priority for Middlesbrough as stated is that they want to bring a top-class midfielder and centre forward to the club and depending on what happens with their senior players that were injured last season, they may well be looking at the experience that Joe Worrall would bring."

Palmer believes that Worrall won't feature again for Nottingham Forest next season, and having recently signed a long-term deal at the club, they'll be forced to loan him out.

“He’s certainly not going to feature for Nottingham Forest, so he will go out on loan somewhere, and at 27, he has the Championship experience that would be good for Middlesbrough, or anywhere like that.

“I think Michael Carrick will be bitterly disappointed at how the season started, but they finished very strongly and will hope that this summer there will be some decent movement in the transfer market to give him an opportunity to push on with Middlesbrough and get them at least into the play-offs."

A loan move for Joe Worrall makes perfect sense for Middlesbrough

It was a bit of a strange time for Joe Worrall at Nottingham Forest this season, and he's gone from captaining the club in their first couple of league games, to being out of the matchday squad completely just a couple of months later.

He was given a new contract by the club in September, which means he's contracted to Forest until 2026, meaning Boro or the majority of Championship sides won't be able to afford the transfer fee to sign Worrall.

This means that it will likely have to be a loan move for the central defender, although even then wages could be a sticking point, with Worrall reportedly earning a weekly wage of €57,692 at Besiktas, according to Capology.

However, if Forest were keen to get Worrall off their books, they would surely be happy to contribute to his wages, and help out Boro, or any other interested side.

Whilst Boro may need to recruit in other areas, they'd be silly not to target Joe Worrall this summer, with his experience and leadership abilities being a massive boost to most sides in the division.