Nottingham Forest centre-back Joe Worrall was reportedly a target for Premier League side Crystal Palace but now looks set to stay in the Championship.
Crystal Palace have been in the market for a centre-back ever since Scott Dann was ruled out for the rest of the season in that goalless draw against Manchester City on New Year’s Eve.
And it appears that they have got their man. As reported by the Evening Standard, the Eagles are close to completing the signing of Polish centre-back Jaroslav Jach in a £2 million deal from Zaglebie Lubin.
The 6ft 3ins defender, who represented Poland at the European Under-21 championships in his homeland last summer, will be tasked with filling the void left by the injured Dann and the ongoing absence of Mamadou Sakho.
And Nottingham Forest should be able to breathe a little easier with Jach heading to Selhurst Park. Because it probably ensures that the highly-rated Joe Worrall will still be at the City Ground for the next few months at least.
The Mail stated that Palace were looking at the £12 million rated centre-half in order to solve their defensive woes. And the 20-year-old, who recently captained England to victory at the prestigious Toulon Tournament, looked likely to be the latest Forest academy graduate to leave the club while barely out of his teens.
Worrall struggled for form a little under previous Forest boss Mark Warburton, finding it difficult in particular to play out from the back, but is expected to improve massively under the pragmatic Aitor Karanka.
And while the Mail states that Burnley were also interested, news that Palace have turned their attention elsewhere means Forest’s hopes of hanging onto Worrall may have got a little easier.
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