You'd have been hard pushed to find a single Nottingham Forest fan that was surprised when it was announced Joe Worrall had won their Player of the Season award for 2020/21, such was his importance last term. 

Worrall's return from injury helped turn the Reds into one of the meanest defences in the Championship, with his commanding presence vital in so many of their successes last season.

In what is expected to be a busy summer for the East Midlands club, keeping hold of the talismanic centre-back has to be high on Chris Hughton's list of priorities.

Burnley have looked the most likely side to prize him away across the last few windows, with Sean Dyche's interest in him reiterated this summer.

Last night's report that the Clarets are making a £12 million bid for Stoke City centre-back Nathan Collins, which is expected to be accepted, looks to be fantastic news for the City Ground faithful – but Reds supporters cannot breathe a sigh of relief just yet.

Burnley have been consistently linked to Worrall since 2017, illustrating just how keen Dyche is on the Forest captain, and this summer could still be the time he finally gets his man.

James Tarkowski's contract is set to expire next summer and the defender has refused to sign a new deal meaning if the Clarets don't sell him in one of the next two windows, they'll lose him for nothing.

Given he's been linked with a £30 million move previously that is not something Burnley will want to see happen, so it would make sense if he was sold this summer.

Worrall seems to be a more readymade replacement than Collins but it appears Burnley aren't happy just settling for one of them.

Journalist Alan Nixon has confirmed that Burnley want to sign both Championship centre-backs this summer, which makes the latest report not the positive it first seemed.

That's not to say it's a done deal and with three years still left on his current contract, Forest can stand strong but this transfer saga doesn't look like it's going away anytime soon.

It seems the City Ground faithful are set for a few more nervous months.