With the start of the Championship earlier than the Premier League, it seems inevitable those teams hoping for a loan or two from football’s ‘big boys’ are left a little frustrated.
The likelihood of teams like Middlesbrough striking deals for players on loan before the start of the season is slim.
Why is that? Most teams and squads are still taking shape before they settle on their best eleven and are still conducting their own business in terms of who they can get through the door. That means they will not part with a player until they are absolutely certain that they are surplus to requirements. Also injuries within a club will play a part in determining any deal for squad players.
With that in mind, we look at five current Premier League players who may fit the bill for Boro boss Michael Carrick as he looks to mount another serious challenge for promotion to the Premier League.
Nuno Tavares-Arsenal
Tavares is a left-back who arrived in London from Benfica in 2021. The Portuguese player has struggled to force his way into the reckoning under Mikel Arteta and finds himself behind Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney in the left-back spot. That is not likely to change anytime soon and after a loan spell at Marseille, where he played 31 games and scored 6 goals, there is no doubt, the 23-year-old will court some attention.
Whether Carrick can sell his vision to Tavares and encourage Arteta to trust him with his development remains to be seen. A player of his calibre would be a huge coup for Boro.
Lewis Hall-Chelsea
Again, another left-back option. A player that can defend, but is equally adept at getting forward down the flank and has very good feet. It is no secret that Middlesbrough will look to bolster their side with someone in this position.
The problem that they will face in this instance, is that Hall gave a good account of himself when Lampard gave him game time last season. Premier League clubs are likely to be interested should Pochettino sanction a move for the youngster.
Brandon Williams-Manchester United
Having struggled to get any game time whatsoever last season, Williams will surely want to get back on track by playing first team football. With Shaw, Malacia at the club, he may struggle to make match squads, however, his chances have improved slightly with Alex Telles leaving for Al Nassr to join former United man Cristiano Ronaldo.
Carrick may hope to exercise the benefits of a good relationship with his former club and test their resolve with a request for the 22-year-old. He is a willing runner and his tenacity would suit the robust nature of the Championship.
Andi Zeqiri-Brighton
The 24-year-old Swiss striker is a player that would tick a lot of boxes for Middlesbrough. He is obviously still young and ambitious, can stretch the play in behind defenders, he likes to play off the shoulder of the last man. Archer played similarly last season and benefited from those accurate, slide-rule passes from the creative players in midfield and Zeqiri has that quality.
If anything, Boro have brought in even more of those types of attacking midfield suppliers, so for a player like Zeqiri, it would be a good match. Zeqiri is also useful in the air, something which may impress Boro’s head coach even more with crosses from wide areas a clear strategy. Scoring 11 goals in the Swiss Super League last season where he played on loan for FC Basel, is a decent return.
The Swiss forward has recently suggested in a report by The Athletic, he would like to move away from Brighton permanently. It came after he was snubbed for their tour of the US. It is possible Boro could lead with a loan deal and the option to buy later.
Keinan Davis-Aston Villa
Middlesbrough had the fortune of having two Villa players at their disposal last season. Aaron Ramsey and Cameron Archer made a fantastic impression on Boro fans. Could another Villa signing work wonders?
Davis is maybe one of the least likely options on the list, purely because of his playing style. He is a big, imposing forward and is more akin to sides who like to play more direct and want strikers to hold the play up for others to join. That said, Carrick’s side could benefit from a bit more aggression upfront to compliment the intricate, flowing football. The forward-who played on loan for Watford last season-may be available again for a Championship loan deal.