JW
Joe Worrall
Centre-Back / England / Burnley FC
50 OVR
Profile
Key strength: Aerial dominance
Defensive anchor
In the depths of a relegation battle, 29-year-old centre-back Joe Worrall has become an immediate fixture in Burnley's backline since his August arrival. With the Clarets languishing in 19th place, manager Scott Parker turned to the former Nottingham Forest captain—valued at €4 million—to inject defensive steel into a porous backline. Worrall has responded with seven consecutive starts, playing every minute and anchoring a defense desperate for stability. Standing 1.90m tall with aerial dominance as his calling card, the Englishman offers more than brute force; his composure on the ball suits Burnley's possession-oriented build-up play. While teammates Jordan Beyer and Hannes Delcroix boast superior ratings, Worrall's experience and reliability have made him the defensive constant in a chaotic campaign. In a side hemorrhaging points, his clean disciplinary record—zero cards in 630 minutes—epitomizes the controlled aggression Burnley desperately needs to claw their way out of the drop zone.