Why Everton should plot a January swoop for Joe Worrall

According to the Daily Mirror (27 November, goals pull-out, Page 6), Everton and Newcastle United are scouting Nottingham Forest defender, Joe Worrall, with a view to a potential transfer during the mid-season trading period in January. 

Worrall has established himself as one of the mainstays of Forest’s backline under the stewardship of manager Sabri Lamouchi this term, starting each of the Reds’ 17 league fixtures so far and playing a key role in the club’s surge for promotion. 

The 22-year-old Hucknall-born starlet, who rose through the youth ranks at the City Ground, burst on to the scene as a promising teenager during the 2016-17 campaign and nailed down a starting role at his boyhood club the following season, before being farmed out on loan to Scottish giants Rangers for the entirety of the 2018-19 campaign. 

Having initially struggled to make an impact, the towering young centre-back went on to establish himself as one of the first names on Steven Gerrard’s team sheet and clocked up as many as 32 appearances for the Gers in all competitions, including a few commanding displays in the club’s UEFA Europa League campaign. 

Reinstated in the playing XI at the City Ground by Lamouchi, who took over the reins from Martin O’Neill back in the summer, Worrall has made eyeballs turn with his consistently impressive displays alongside veteran Michael Dawson at the heart of the defence. 

The academy graduate’s burgeoning reputation hasn’t eluded the eyes of some of the Premier League clubs, with Everton and Newcastle apparently set to fight it out for his signature in the upcoming transfer window. 

To put things into perspective, Joe Worrall has progressed by leaps and bounds as a defender, both in terms of his temperament and composure. Everton would bag a real coup if they manage to beat off competition from Newcastle in the race to sign the 22-year-old. 

Worrall, who captained England U20 to a triumphant campaign at the 2017 Toulon Tournament, is a centre-back with the potential to push on and ply his trade at the highest level in his country in the years to come. 

Everton have brought in some fine up and coming players in the recent past, with the likes of Richarlison, Moise Kean and Alex Iwobi all coming through the door at Goodison Park. Worrall also seems like a player in the right age bracket, who could possibly evolve into a star in the future. 

The Toffees’ defensive problems in the Premier League this season have been well-documented, with Everton currently languishing 16th in the standings, just four points above the relegation zone.

Verdict

That Everton have already succumbed to defeats in 7 out of their first 13 Premier League fixtures, while conceding as many as 20 goals in the process, is a clear indication of the fact that they need to find a way to improve their lacklustre run of form in the coming months.

The release of veteran Phil Jagielka in the summer, coupled with the failure to secure a permanent transfer for Chelsea loanee Kurt Zouma, have already come back to bite the Toffees hard, with the centre-back pairing of Michael Keane and Yerry Mina failing to live up to the expectations at Goodison Park. 

Notwithstanding the fact that young Mason Holgate has churned out a few impressive displays in recent weeks, Everton could potentially do themselves a world of good by bringing in a promising starlet like Joe Worrall as a part of their long-term plans moving forward. 

The 22-year-old is still very young for a centre-back and his lack of experience in the top-flight could prevent him from making an immediate difference if a move to Merseyside does materialize in January. 

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However, his talent and potential have been there for everybody to see and the Toffees have enough reason to look at Worrall as a long-term prospect. 

With that in mind, Everton should not hesitate to make an official approach for Joe Worrall when the transfer window reopens in January.