Nottingham Forest defender Joe Worrall has spoken out about his future amid interest from Southampton, stating that he is 100 per cent happy with his current employers [Hampshire Live].

The Lowdown: Worrall profiled

Making waves in the Sky Bet Championship last campaign, the 24-year-old made 33 appearances in all competitions, mustering over four clearances per game.

He was good enough to attract interest throughout the duration of the transfer window, with Southampton, West Ham United and Crystal Palace amongst those rumoured to be keen on his services [Nottingham Post].

Nevertheless, a move never materialised, leading Worrall to speak out about his future in a recent interview.

The Latest: Worrall happy to stay at Forest

The 6 foot 4 Englishman delivered a crushing blow to any future move from the Saints, stating: “I’m at no better place right now, at the age of 24, to be playing week in, week out in the Championship." [Hampshire Live]

In a disappointing turn of events, it now seems as if the ball-playing defender could be staying at the City Ground for a while yet.

The Verdict: Could have been Vestergaard replacement

Potentially being rocked in their pursuit of the Reds centre-half will come as a bitter blow to the Southampton hierarchy.

Worrall has earned praise in recent years, once being called a 'leader' by Forest legend Kenny Burns [Herald Scotland], which implies he could have been the perfect man to bring in as a long-term replacement for Jannik Vestergaard.

Moving forward, the Saints will need to rely on options currently available at their disposal as they bid to climb the table, with Lyanco arriving instead back in late August to buff up the ranks.

In other news, Southampton fans love a goal scored by one of their players on international duty. Find out more here.