This article is part of Football FanCast's In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets...

According to The Sun (print version, November 15, page 74), Southampton have scouted Nottingham Forest right-back Matty Cash at the City Ground this season, along with Everton and Crystal Palace.

Interestingly, Cash had never played as a right-back until Sabri Lamouchi arrived at Forest back in the summer, where the 48-year-old decided to transform the Slough-born star from a midfielder into a right-sided defender.

Lamouchi's decision has definitely been beneficial to both Cash and Forest.

So far this season, the 22-year-old has scored twice and assisted two goals in 14 Championship appearances for the playoff hopefuls, while also recording some impressive defensive numbers to go alongside his clear attacking qualities.

Cash averages 2.8 tackles per game and 3.5 clearances per game, but how does he compare to Southampton's current right-back options in Yan Valery and Cedric Soares?

As you can see, neither Valery or Cedric have been involved in a goal so far this season, which is pretty poor given the fact that Ralph Hasenhuttl tends to use wing-backs.

Neither of the Saints' current right-back options can boast a tackles per game average that is higher than Cash's, while Valery is the closest to his 3.5 tackles per game - albeit 0.6 away from it.

You may argue that Cash's numbers are being registered in the Championship, arguably a weaker division in comparison to the Premier League.

However, to bolster our point that Cash would be an upgrade on the pair, we feel that his former days playing as a right-midfielder would enhance his suitability to being a wing-back under Hasenhuttl.

The Daily Mail's Secret Scout described Cash as "showing maturity beyond his years in defence", while his return of eight goals and two assists from right-midfield last term suggests that he knows where the back of the net is as well.

It is for the aforementioned reasons, and his superior statistics despite the difference in divisions, that Cash would be an upgrade on Valery and Cedric.