Middlesbrough were a side almost relegated under Jonathan Woodgate in 2019/20. They brought in Neil Warnock to shore them up.
Middlesbrough fans saw him preserve their side’s Championship status that season. Last season he galvanised them and turned them into a side knocking on the door of the play-offs.
They finished last season in 10th and they are currently in a midtable 12th position in the current Championship table.
Warnock has begun to mould a side in his own image and continues to do so with emerging news from France:
James Léa-Siliki va rejoindre Middlesbrough en prêt avec option d’achat. Les deux clubs ont trouvé un accord ce soir #Mercato #RMCLive
— Loïc Tanzi (@Tanziloic) August 26, 2021
The translation of the above tweet reads: ‘James Léa-Siliki will join Middlesbrough on loan with option to buy. The two clubs reached an agreement tonight.’
James Léa-Siliki – on verge of move to Teesside
Léa Siliki is a 25-year-old former France Under-19 international who made his first steps in football with Paris-Saint Germain’s youth set up.
He moved in a free transfer deal to EA Guingamp in 2011, before moving to Rennes in early July 2014.
Since that move, Léa Siliki has gone on to make 113 appearances for Rennes senior squad where he has scored four goals and provided seven assists.
Tanzi (tweet above), a reporter for French media outlet RMC Sport, says that the two clubs have agreed on the particulars of a deal.
This will be a deal that is an initial loan deal that will see Léa Siliki head to The Riverside this season with Boro having the option to buy outright.
Thoughts?
Middlesbrough could be onto a smart deal here. Siliki is a player who has over 80 games of experience in Ligue 1 for Rennes.
Getting him in on loan is good news in itself. For Middlesbrough to have even convinced him to drop down to Championship level is surely a sign of major intent by the Teessiders.
There are five days left in the current transfer window, a window that slams shut next Tuesday evening at 11 pm.
Warnock and Boro will no doubt want him in by then so he can get acclimatised to their style of play.
