Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis expressed his desire to bring in ‘two or three’ loan signings before the deadline on August 31st after he watched his side win 1-0 against West Brom on Friday.
According to TEAMtalk, Middlesbrough are interested in bringing Wigan Athletic and former-Manchester United attacking midfielder Nick Powell to the club. The site are also reporting that Leeds United, West Brom and Celtic are keen, but Boro look to be in pole position.
Powell currently has one year remaining on his contract with Wigan, and the club are reluctantly set to cash in on one of their star players, with Middlesbrough ready to pounce.
It is reported that the Latics are looking for £5 million for the 24-year old, and the relatively small asking price has meant a number of clubs are interested, including a host of fellow-Championship sides.
An initial loan deal could be secured before the deadline later this month with a view to a permanent deal next summer, or as early as the January transfer window.
So far in four Championship games for Wigan, Powell has scored three goals, and is one of the top scorers in the division, only behind Leeds’ Kemar Roofe, West Brom’s Jay Rodriguez, Andreas Weimann of Bristol City and Neal Maupay of Brentford.
The attacking midfielder came through the academy at Crewe Alexandra before signing for Manchester United in 2012, where he only played three times for the Red Devils in four years, scoring one goal. He made the permanent switch to Wigan in 2016 where he has a very good record of 24 goals in 64 games.
