With two months to go until the January transfer window, Middlesbrough may already be looking to the market for acquisitions given their poor league form.
One player they have identified as a possible target is 17-year old Grimsby Town defender Joe Hope. The teenager is yet to make an appearance for the League Two side, but is attracting attention from the higher leagues.
According to The Sun, a club that is challenging Middlesbrough in the bid for his signature is Everton. Both clubs are attempting to adopt a similar transfer policy – signing younger players with potential in the hope of becoming first team players in the near future.
The youngster is a central defender by trade, and would be competing with the likes of Daniel Ayala, Dael Fry and Ryan Shotton at Middlesbrough. 17-year old Nathan Wood is also a promising prospect on Teesside, who we could see in the first team soon.
Hope can also play at left-back, which has been a problem position for Boro so far this season. Injuries to captain George Friend, as well as Hayden Coulson, has meant summer signing Marc Bola has been thrown in at the deep end, and he has ultimately struggled to adapt to life in the Championship.
Shotton and Marvin Johnson have deputised in this position, despite not being naturals in this role, and Hope could provide more natural cover in the event of injury.
The report suggests that he could stay put at Grimsby for the time being, with a first team opportunity looking more likely, given he has been on the bench twice already despite his tender age.
