Nottingham Forest secured safety in the Championship at the weekend as they fought back to earn a point in their clash with Stoke City at the City Ground.

In what has been an inconsistent 2020/21 campaign for the Reds, there were times in recent months where Chris Hughton's side looked as if they would be dragged into a relegation dogfight.

However, victories over Cardiff City and Queens Park Rangers earlier this month alleviated Forest's fears as they were able to build a considerable gap between them and the bottom-three in the second-tier.

In order for his side to have the best chance of achieving success next season in the Championship, Hughton will unquestionably need to bolster his squad by drafting in a number of players during the upcoming transfer window.

Yet before the Forest boss looks into the possibility of making signings, he may first have to fend off interest from elsewhere for one of his key players.

As reported on page 59 of the print edition of The Sun on Sunday, Norwich City are reportedly eyeing up a move for Reds defender Joe Worrall as they look to improve their squad ahead of their return to the Premier League.

Making reference to his current situation at Forest, the 24-year-old has said that whilst he is now acclimatised to rumours surrounding his future, he remains committed to helping the club end the season on a positive note.

Speaking to the Nottingham Post about the latest speculation, Worrall said: "It's the same with any player under the age of 24!

"It doesn't matter whether you've got two left feet or whatever, you're always getting linked with whoever - more so in League One.

"If you play in League One, you're automatically linked with a Premier League club I think.

"That's just the way football is, and it won't change."

The defender later added: "The media push the stories, some of them are true and some of them aren't

"It's up to Forest and, at the end of the day, me, if interest does come in, to make decisions.

"I'm just looking forward to the next game and playing at Sheffield Wednesday.

"Hillsborough's a great stadium to go to, so that's all I'm looking forward to."

GIVEMESPORT's Joshua Cole says...

If Forest are to launch a potential challenge for a top-six finish next season, it is imperative that they keep Worrall at the club this summer as they may not be able to draft in a sufficient replacement for him if they do opt to sell.

After emerging as a key player for the Reds during the previous campaign in which he played 48 games in all competitions, the defender has managed to average a relatively impressive WhoScored match rating of 6.80 in the Championship this season.

As well as ranking second amongst his team-mates when it comes to clearances (5.2 per match), Worrall leads the way when it comes to blocks per game (0.9).

Having now featured on 127 occasions in the Championship during his career, Worrall knows exactly what it takes to succeed at this level and thus his presence could help Forest to push on in the coming years.