Middlesbrough were linked with plenty of targets in the transfer window, and ultimately missed out on a host of names.
According to The Evening Standard, Liverpool and England striker Dominic Solanke was subject to interest from the likes of Middlesbrough, Aston Villa, Rangers, Huddersfield Town and Lyon, but the striker ultimately felt his best option was to stay and fight for his place at Anfield.
Solanke played 27 times for Liverpool’s first team last season in all competitions, mostly as a substitute, and he scored one goal in the process. He was even given an England call up, and he made his debut against Brazil at Wembley in November 2017.
However, on Merseyside he still finds himself down the pecking order behind the likes of Roberto Firmino and Daniel Sturridge, and plenty of clubs showed an interest to give the 20-year old the opportunity for much needed game time.
Solanke has impressed at youth level for years, and was part of both Chelsea and England’s youth sides’ successes. He was awarded the Golden Ball for the best player of the tournament at the under-20s World Cup, in which he scored four goals in seven games.
It is not yet reported whether both Middlesbrough and Aston Villa remain interested in bringing Solanke to the Championship having bolstered their attacking options with other targets. Middlesbrough signed West Ham United striker Jordan Hugill on a season long loan deal, and Steve Bruce’s Aston Villa brought in young Chelsea forward Tammy Abraham on transfer deadline day.
