Aston Villa need to consider what their defensive options are going to look like next season.

Axel Tuanzebe is set to head back to Manchester United at the end of his loan spell at Villa Park and whether he returns remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, Christopher Samba will probably leave on a free transfer and John Terry's future is uncertain as his one-year deal comes to an end.

If Villa fail to get promoted, Terry might not renew his contract and James Chester could be sold.

This leaves the Villains very light at the back so they will already have to start thinking about centre-back targets this summer.

Here, FLW shines a spotlight on Nottingham Forest youngster Joe Worrall and considers whether he should be on Aston Villa's radar this summer.

 

 

For such a young defender, these statistics are impressive.

Worrall's form has dipped in recent weeks, costing him his place in the side but there is no doubting the 21-year-old's potential.

Nottingham forest fans can sometimes forget that Worrall is still so young, especially for a centre-back, and he was impressive earlier in the year.

With an average of 7.4 clearances per game and more than one tackle per match, Worrall has proven hard to penetrate at the back.

The England under-21 international is not scared of getting physical and he is comfortable both aerially and with the ground work when he is in form.

The 6ft 4in centre-half is also a man mountain at the back - standing at 6ft 4in, it is tough to beat him in the air which is an important quality to have as a central defender.

And Worrall is a leader, too, having captained England at youth level and he always shows passion when he plays.

While he may not have had the best end to this season, Worrall is one for the future and Aston Villa should definitely try to sign him, regardless of whether they go up or stay down.

Nottingham Forest could sell him at the right price considering that Aitor Karanka is more interested in bringing in experienced defenders to bolster the Reds' defence.

And with Terry's career coming to an end, he could pass on his vast knowledge to one of England's most promising young centre-backs, who could then eventually take over from the ex-Chelsea man and partner Chester at the back.