Middlesbrough midfielder Connor Malley has joined Gateshead on loan until the end of the season, the Championship club have confirmed.
Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder is yet to use Malley in the first-team, and has only been on the bench on one occasion under the new boss, in the third round victory over Mansfield back in January.
However, he is highly regarded at the Riverside and is certainly a long-term option in midfield for Boro.
He has been plying his trade regularly for the U23s side, but has now joined non-league Gateshead on loan until he returns at the end of the campaign.
The 21-year-old has previously had temporary spells at both Queen of the South in the Scottish Championship and at Carlisle United in League Two.
But he played just five times for either club, registering no assists and scoring one goal whilst in Scotland.
Malley will be hoping for a more successful spell this time around and joins a Gateshead side who are vying for promotion back into the National League from the National League North.
The Heed are currently first in the standings with 13 games left to play and the Boro loanee will be hoping to play a key part in achieving their ultimate goal of promotion.
Malley has played four times in the Middlesbrough first team, all of which came under previous manager Neil Warnock.
He even received the Sky Sports Man of the Match award for his performance against Rotherham in April last year.
If he can build on that with his loan move to Gateshead, there will be a place for him in the Boro side in the not too distant future.
