Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest monitor Hull defender Jacob Greaves

Hull defender Jacob Greaves is being watched by Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest as they look to bolster their defensive ranks for next season.

Greaves is regarded as one of the most interesting defensive prospects outside of the top flight. A left-footer, Greaves is most comfortable in central defence, but has also been operating as a left-back under Tigers boss Liam Rosenior.

He has already made over 100 appearances for his hometown club and regularly draws the attention of Premier League scouts, with Brentford believed to also be interested in the 22-year-old, who is also Hull’s vice-captain. He would also count as a home player for top division clubs facing increasingly difficult juggling acts to balance their 25-man squads for the league campaign.

Greaves signed a new four-year deal, with an option for one more season, last summer and is valued at around £7m, with Hull set to take an interest in him at the end of the campaign.

Greaves are enjoying life under Rosenior with Hull secure in mid-table despite a four-game winless run. He said: “He has brought some new ideas and it’s something the club probably needed, in terms of how he wants to take on the club.”

Hull have not been in the Premier League since relegation six years ago, while Rosenior was passed over for the Derby job in favor of Paul Warne earlier this term. The former Hull player had been Wayne Rooney’s assistant during a turbulent period in the Rams’ history, but was dropped after a spell as caretaker boss early in the campaign.