Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat, please put a striker in Michael Carrick's hat.
I figure it's getting close to the window opening so useful to have a thread about rumours, bargains and outright lies on the transfer front.
So far, most of the chatter is around central defenders. Joe Worrall and Scott McKenna at Forest plus Creswell at Leeds.
Football league world reckon we're on of about 50 clubs in for Liverpool's right back Connor Bradley. He played well for Bolton last year in league one.
Oddly, some sources are claiming that Serie A clubs want Bangura on loan but given that he's already played for two clubs this season that seems unlikely.
Various clubs said to be monitoring Hackney but that's hardly unexpected and there's no reason to think anything will happen in January.
Anybody else heard anything else on the grapevine?
Deleriad
You seem to have covered all the transfer rumours I have seen mentioned
OFB
Various clubs said to be monitoring Hackney but that's hardly unexpected and there's no reason to think anything will happen in January.
Posted this link on the Hull thread:
An offer for HH from one of the "big six" would probably be hard to fight off!
It will have to be a lot more than Pds10 million. Alex Scott went for Pds25 million. I’d be surprised if anything happens before the summer.
utb
Nice one Deriad adding a January window thread - I guess business will depend on when we expect to see the return of our key injured players (Hackney, McGree, O'Brien, Forss and Coburn) but I'm sure Boro need at least one striker and one right-back now that RvdB looks like our best centre-back.
Of course if a big club do come in for Hackney with an offer that they can't turn down then it will be hard to refuse - though just how big that offers needs to be will depend on what the club think his peak value will be in the next few years as he's contracted to Boro until June 2027 and it would be madness to let him go cheap as he's still improving.
Business may also depend on how the next 4 games go and whether Boro are still well in touch with the play-off pack.
I wonder if Leeds would loan us out-of-favour Patrick Bamford (just 13 appearances off the bench averaging less than 15 minutes this season) if a proven striker is hard to unearth as don't fancy another project in January.
Then there's Aaron Ramsey, who has only managed 8 appearances from the bench since joining Burnley with only 90 minutes on the pitch over 5 games since September - doesn't sound like he's going to play much and could be up for a return loan at the Riverside.
btw Sorry, but I was compelled to insert 'Michael' into your opening sentence when reading it to maintain the rhythm of the verse - I know, it's a disease 🙄
Sorry, but I was compelled to insert 'Michael' into your opening sentence when reading it to maintain the rhythm of the verse - I know, it's a disease 🙄
The start of Michaelmas.
I was wondering about Ramsey but I think his problem has been injuries. Same with Bamford.
What we need is the striker equivalent of Sol Bamba; happy to sit on the bench until needed. No idea who that would be. I'm assuming that Coburn will be loaned out, Hoppe isn't good enough and Forss is not allowed to play up front.
I did do some looking around for Premier league prospects who aren't getting a game right now but could be great in the Championship. It was easy last winter because Archer was so obvious. I don't think there are any equivalents this season. I did have a look around for Premier league u21s and came up with Omari Forson from Man Utds U21s. Plays centre forward or right wing and has recently made a debut for England U20s. Thing is it would be his first senior loan and we may end up with a Balogun-like situation where he benefits more from the loan than we do. At that point you have to figure we're better off giving Nkrumah or Kavanagh some game time to see if they can step up.
Yes, Connor Bradley, a Liverpool RB.
If he is a good as the Internet is saying, then we will be one of a few interested.
Will he be better than Dijksteel? Probably had little to no game time except under 21's. So (initially) possibly a back up.
A lot will depend where we are in the league and if we are in touching distance of 5/6 places.
@malcolm - What on earth would a Forest player be banned from training for? Not only not allowed to train WITH the first team, but not able to train on the training pitches nearby at the same time the first team is training? Someone in the first team squad has developed an allergy to the player? He has some disease which is very virulent so that even 100 yards would be "within range" and it could spread like wildfire through the first team squad, whilst players in the reserves/U21s can be regarded as expendable? Mysterious! Would Boro, if interested in the player, be told the reason? Surely lack of due diligence not to ask.
Hayden Hackney - if he is good enough to attract the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United, then I guess (1) he really MUST be showing signs of developing into a world-class player - so it's not just Boro obsessives putting all their hopes into a "project". (2) If he really is that good then that sort of club will still be here at the end of the season and there may be others nearby (with deep pockets and of a black-and-white persuasion) who might be interested in joining the auction. (3) We must be talking a LOT of money. To be fair he has only really played the equivalent of one season.
Imagine if we'd loaned-in a midfielder last autumn from, say Liverpool or some other Premier League club. We'd never have seen HH and by now he would possibly have moved on to another club to get some game-time, so he would be illuminating THAT team's league. Imagine the same before loaning out untried (at Championship level) strikers like Kavanagh. What if HE is the real deal and we ignore HIS development at the expense of helping to develop Liverpool's (insert the name of any Premier League team here) young talent?
I don’t think so. Why does he keep on failing? This was a great piece of transfer business and let’s leave it at that.
utb
Cooper sacked by Forest therefore the two CB’s may no longer be available.
Come on BORO.
Cooper sacked by Forest therefore the two CB’s may no longer be available.
The rumour is that Worrall fell out with Cooper while McKenna's agent fell out with the Forest owner. Mind you, the Forest Owner could start a fight in an empty room. It would imply that McKenna might remain available. Their squad is also really bloated so I am guessing that the new manager will need to ship some out before he can bring in anyone.
I know nothing, but instincts tell me , a player will leave, who that could be anyone of four, noticed Wilder was at the game,
Can't see Gibson writing off £100m then going into debt again, but if they receive decent money for a couple , then yes, we will make moves.
@gt Chris Wilder was at the Port Vale match to monitor Arblaster, on loan from Shef Utd, who has been one of the teams best performers since joining on loan. Unfortunately Arblaster was strechered off on 59 minutes with a deep gash (to the bone).
Come on BORO.
The 72 reckons we're one of several clubs interested in loaning Kaide Gordon from Liverpool. He's a 19 year old right winger who has been out injured for a long time. Seems like a very unlikely priority to me.
No quick fixes on the transfer front according to MC:
Boro reportedly interested in signing Luke Ayling from the Dirties...
Apparently is now having his medical at Boro.
Come on BORO.
Middlesbrough are readying a £2.5m swoop for Finn Azaz.
OFB
Boro in a bit of a dilemma. If they were to sell a couple of players for real money. Then any one we were after the price would double. If we get early signings .then I see departures . What will happen to. Crooks, Hackney, Berlaser. Howson, Greenwood. O,brien ,McNair ,if the first signing is a midfield player,
RB.and CB needed for sure.
@gt The reality is, that if HH continues his upward trajectory, then he will get snapped up by probably a lower EPL club.
He still has to prove his capabilities at the next level, and remember that he is only playing in the EFL at the moment.
Of course, if we do sign Azaz, then we could have more midfielders than we need, if we can get O'Brien back sooner than later. This is possibly stealing a march on other interested clubs.
The Ayling rumour is good to see, as he can play RB and CB. He made his name as a marauding RB under Bellisa
Are we going to see two Finns at the Boro?
Aston Villa's attacking midfielder Finn Azaz is on the verge of joining Boro from his loan at Plymouth Argyle. The other Finn is naturally Marcus Forss 😉.
Ex-Ireland Under-21 midfielder Finn Azaz is now 23 year old and was born in London. Up the Boro!
@pedro. Ayling is too old for my liking and does not meet the new recruitment criteria.
Is Azaz being recruited as a replacement for JH's possible departure at end of season? 😎
@k-p-in-spain I was only thinking, as a loan, to get us to the end of the season.
We definitely require a specialised RB / Wing Back. VdB is not the answer and neither is Dijksteel given his persistent injury issues.
7 goals 5 assists so far this season
Azaz sounds as good as Aaron Ramsey on paper. And not coming on loan. Azaz has Championship experience and the right age.7 goals 5 assists so far this season
Luke Ayling sounds like a temporary fix for our right back problems. Long term we need a younger player, but he could just be what we need until May. Also experience is needed in defence - remember that van den Berg has just celebrated his 19th year anniversary!
Up the Boro!
If we do sign Aziz does it mean we are prepared to listen to offers for HH or any other midfielders. He can't play on Tuesday as he is cup tied. Also not sure about Rogers on Tuesday as he has had two bookings in the League Cup so may be banned.