Joe Worrall’s performances so far this season for Nottingham Forest have been nothing short of fantastic.
They’ve been so good in fact, that he should be rewarded with a new contract at the City Ground to warn off any potential interest in him.
Despite having a deal until summer 2022, I’d get him on a longer-term one, just like they’ve done recently with the likes of Brennan Johnson and Alex Mighten.
Newcastle were linked with a move for him in the national media at the weekend, and while they may be in a position to pay him more, I doubt that’s a move he’d want to make, especially with the problems they’ve got.
There seems to be little loyalty in football these days, but with Worrall, he’s a lad that genuinely loves Nottingham and playing for the club he supports.
In that sense, he reminds me a bit of Jack Grealish at Aston Villa.
Just desperate to succeed at the club he loves, and I respect that attitude – it’s hard not to find it refreshing - living the dream as he says himself.
It also goes with the territory that when you’re doing well, other teams are going to be interested in your players, and you shouldn’t always see that as a bad thing.
Should Newcastle or any other club come knocking, I expect the Forest hierarchy would give them short shrift, just as they’ve done with Burnley and Crystal Palace in the past.
If anything, Worrall has become more valuable to the club this season, given the level of his performances.
Of course, he’s ambitious, he’ll want to play at the highest level, and he’ll want to give himself every opportunity of doing that at Forest.
It’s funny how things work out, though.
When you consider under Aitor Karanka, Worrall was unlikely to have an immediate future at the club and now, a year on, he’s a huge part of Sabri Lamouchi’s side and one of the key factors in Forest being so tight defensively.
Whatever you say about his season in Glasgow with Rangers, it’s certainly had a big impact on him, he’s learned so much.
I wouldn’t be so quick to suggest he went there a boy and came back a man, but it wasn’t too far away from that.
He’s returned a much better player and Forest are reaping the rewards, so maybe Karanka’s decision to send him out on loan wasn’t that bad after all.
Playing in the goldfish bowl that is Glasgow is never easy and takes some guts for which the 22-year-old should be applauded, and throughout his stay north of the border, he made it clear where he saw his future, which was music to the ears of Forest supporters.
The challenge for Worrall is to continue performing to such a standard, don’t get complacent and ensure he’s playing in the Premier League next season, with Nottingham Forest.
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Kenny Burns was this week in conversation with Barry Cooper
