West Ham United will make a £15 million bid for Nottingham Forest captain Joe Worrall if the Reds don’t win promotion on Sunday, the Evening Standard reports.
Huddersfield are the opponents for Forest with a place in next season’s Premier League on the line for both teams.
It’s been 23 years since the Reds tasted Premier League football. As a result, the team will be desperate to get the job done at the weekend.
If the result doesn’t go in the direction of Forest, an exodus could take place.
Djed Spence, James Garner and Keinan Davis would be unlikely to sign permanently; with decisions to be made on Max Lowe and Philip Zinckernagel.
Worrall and Brennan Johnson have been linked with the Premier League for quite some time.
As a result, one of them looks certain to leave and a worse case could see both star players head for the Premier League without Forest.
West Ham will be in the market for a central defender during the summer.
In David Moyes, they have a manager who isn’t fazed by dipping into the Championship.
Recently, the Hammers have plucked Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma from the second tier and both players have done well for the club.
Now, Worrall is in their sights too and a deal could happen if Forest get beat on Sunday.
West Ham to make Worrall bid and Forest man deserves Premier League crack
The centre-back is very much Mr Nottingham Forest.
With that in mind, it’s fair to say that of all the players in the current squad, he deserves a Premier League crack more than anyone else.
He has played 182 games for the Reds since making his debut in 2016 and consistently gives his all to the cause.
It would be a real sickener to see Worrall. It is, however, reasonable to say that Forest are well-stocked at centre-back.
Scott McKenna and Steve Cook will be contracted, whilst Jonathan Panzo is also a bright prospect for the future.
Worrall would dearly love to walk out on the opening day of next season with Forest as a Premier League club.
If he doesn’t, he could leave the Reds behind and get himself a deserved crack at the top-flight with West Ham.