MK Dons left-back Matthew Sorinola may remain at the club as the Stadium MK side looks to offer him a new deal.

The 20-year-old has been linked with a move away in the transfer window, with interest coming from the likes of Middlesbrough, Bournemouth, and Brentford. He has also been linked with a move to Premier League sides Leeds United and West Ham United.

Sorinola's deal at MK Dons will expire this summer, and having played in 42 matches in all competitions for the club where he scored twice and provided six assists, the club see him as a valuable member of the squad.

OFB

The news that Middlesbrough have been linked to Jordan Jones and Charlie Wyke will no longer be strange to any Boro fans, but it seems the duo are not the only two players Boro are interested in signing from Sunderland.

Neil Warnock's side have now been linked to signing Black Cats' goalkeeper Lee Burge.

Burge's contract at the League One side expires this summer and Boro could be looking to make a move for him in the transfer window.

OFB

You have to be up early in the morning to get the latest news before our Bob.

Looks like Kebano won’t be staying. 

Boro looking to sign 25 new players after this afternoons performance 

OFB

Junior Hoillet rumoured to be on his way to Middlesbrough after leaving Cardiff 

OFB

Junior Hoilet's Career Stats Table

Just to say copying and pasting big tables into a post don't really work as there's just not enough space for all the columns - Anyway, I've edited the table in excel, removed some columns and done some html magic for you to make it work - Werdermouth

See post Below

ESPN have revealed that Rangers, Wolves and Everton have all been keeping tabs on Boro’s Djed Spence’ who could fetch a fee in the region of £5m.

OFB

@original-fat-bob

We should snatch off their hands. 

Posted by: @lenmasterman

@original-fat-bob

We should snatch off their hands. 

£5M now plus £500k for every 50 first team appearances and a 20% sell on clause....

Junior Hoilett's Career Stats (from OFB's earlier post)

*Loan

I really liked Spence but for whatever reason he has gone backwards this season. He's a player who always seems to be able to be at the opposition players feet before they're expecting him. Great speed and quick feet but is currently lacking an end product or never really opts to try and beat his man. A bit like Adama used to be and under the right coach could become a very good player - though likely to become just a squad player at Boro if Warnock brings in his own wide players like Hoilet and keeps Mendez-Laing. I suspect he'll be off on his scooter somewhere else in the summer if those kind of numbers become firm offers.

@original-fat-bob

Quite what he will be doing here at 30 years of age, and being a time expired old battler of no particular talent, beats me. Yes he would like to carry on being a professional footballer, no doubt at a much better salary than Cardiff were paying him. So would I, but these signings are the road to nowhere, and of course we will give him several years contract, which will amount to paying his pension and keeping him fit, lovely!      

On the face of it , Hoillet may be ok but he’s 30 and if Boro are serious in getting to the Premiership then he’s not Premiership standard. So, he’s only a short term option.

Hope NW’s new players aren’t all players he’s worked with.   ” I know what they can do and they like working with me “ comment to convince supporters.

My theory is that players in their 30’s don’t really want to get to the Premiership because deep down  many of they know they are not good enough and maybe  will be moved on.

I would much prefer younger players eg player of year of a lower division team.

Philip of Lindley 

@philip-of-huddersfield

I'm with you on that I'd prefer to see Boro build a young side that can develop and improve and perhaps be good enough to play in the PL in a few years. There's no sense of having a side for the future if a club mainly signs players in the 30-plus category as the gravity of their age usually means their ability and fitness is only going downhill with the likelihood that their bodies won't be up for a 46-game season. Besides as Plato has mentioned already, would you give an over-30 player a two or three year contract on the kind of wages they've been used to? I expect the likes of Bolasie and Hoilett will be hoping for more than a 12-month contract on wages at the higher end of what Championship clubs offer - perhaps they may even be hoping their agents secure a lucrative offer from China based on their best-bits video!

Not sure if my earlier attempt to post got through so will try again....

The League One Player of the Season was Peterborough striker Jonson Clarke-Harris. Peterborough have an unbelievable knack for finding good strikers.

All the players awards can be found here: https://www.efl.com/news/2021/april/2021-efl-awards-winners-announced/

I haven’t watched a lot of League One football but when I have, the player who’s stood out has been Harry Darling at MK Dons: a 21yr old centre back who is exceptional on the ball.

@andy-r

good post

OFB

@werdermouth

Its a good point about older players chasing the money but sometimes the journos just put 2+2 together and get five. Hoilet has left Cardiff and Warnock managed him so he must be going to sign for Boro.

Is it to sell papers or just lazy journalism?

I agree with the sentiment that we should be looking for young dynamic players from a lower division or abroad and apparently they are scouting the Scandinavian countries.

We need our super scout Jarkko to tell us who we should be looking at!

OFB

@philip-of-huddersfield

Totally agree with your rationale and Strategy hopefully Warnock will also 

OFB

@plato

Doesn’t that sound familiar to Boro fans ?

OFB 

Thanks for changing the stats table for me Werder

Appreciated 

OFB

Off subject (again!), sorry. 

Thought you might be interested in this article on BBC football about Boro’s run to Eindhoven. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57011205

@clive-hurren

Thanks for that link Clive. It's a real tale of two seasons, that year and this. I know we are lucky to have those memories, but it is sad to think we may have blown our chance of ever competing at that level again in most of our timelines.

Posted by: @original-fat-bob

@werdermouth

Its a good point about older players chasing the money but sometimes the journos just put 2+2 together and get five. Hoilet has left Cardiff and Warnock managed him so he must be going to sign for Boro.

Is it to sell papers or just lazy journalism?

I agree with the sentiment that we should be looking for young dynamic players from a lower division or abroad and apparently they are scouting the Scandinavian countries.

We need our super scout Jarkko to tell us who we should be looking at!

OFB

I did talk to Mogga while visiting Rockcliffe when he was the manager. I recommended a then young Finnish player who has scored many goals at Union Berlin this season. Joel Pohjanpalo has had a lot of injuries during his career, though. Perhaps it was good he was not signed by Boro. You will see him in the European Championships this summer. Especially so if Teemu Pukki cannot play with his recent ancle injury.

I would sign the Finnish goalkeeper, Lukas Hradecký from Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Germany. He is very good but I don't think Boro can afford him at €6,5 m, though.

When we need to replace Johnny Howson, I would replace him with Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara. The Finnish international is 25 now and could play in the Premier League,  too. But at € 4.5 m, too expensive for Boro again.

Then there is Robin Lod who plays for Minnesota United in the USA. He is a right winger and aged 28. Before, he has played in Greece and Spain. He is exceptionally good playing together with Teemu Pukki in the National team. I have followed his progress since he was ten as he played against my son as a junior. Also his father is a friend of mine from the school days. Robin is currently valued at €3,0 and his attitude is very good.

I cannot say many other Finnish players good enough for Boro. But Finland have now qualified for a major tournament for the first time ever. So you will see them in the European Championships soon.

Up the Boro!

Boro have added Rotherham United striker Michael Smith to their list of summer attacking targets according to the Echo: http//www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/19292366.middlesbrough-interested-rotherham-striker-michael-smith/

Smith was born in Wallsend (like Sting) and is aged 29. His height is 1,80 m (don't ask me about feet and inches, though). He has one year left of his contract at the Millers.

I would prefer Charlie Wyke, though. A bit taller and a better record. Up the Boro!

@jarkko I think Ikpeazu from Wycombe would fit the Warnock criteria. He hasn't set the world alight with his goal scoring exploits but for a big unit he has decent ball control and I reckon would work well with Watmore with Ikpeazu knocking them down and Watmore knocking them in. 

We will be shopping in the bargain bin and Ikpeazu is a few years younger at 26 than either Wyke or Smith albeit all three of them would be affordable. I think any of those three would do better for us than Fletcher, Assombalonga and Akpom although I feel Akpom could be a good back up to Watmore.

I see Jurgen Klopp is supposedly now wanting Patrick Bamford in the summer. Did I ever mention how much a mistake I thought it was to sell him at the time?

@redcarred

Now you mention it, I seem to recall that you may have raised the issue 😉

Still, Pulis had no choice but to sell Bamford as he was our fourth-choice striker behind Britt, Hugill and Gestede...

@redcarred

Werdermouth beat me to it! It still rankles with me but it was another one of the endless “typical Boro” moments.

Although still a reader, I haven’t  posted for months as all enthusiasm has been gradually been sucked out of me during this insipid season. 
As I pledged to renew, the club have kindly confirmed that my SC  has been rolled over to next season. At present, I think I’d be happier with a refund.