Middlesbrough are said to be interested in securing the services of two centre-backs as their injury crisis in defence continues to hamper their progress.
Charlie Cresswell of Leeds United and Joe Worrall of Nottingham Forest are both being eyed by Boro according to a report on the TEAMtalk website.
Boro are increasingly likely to want to add to their defensive ranks come January, and could do business with Leeds United and Nottingham Forest again after negotiating loan deals for Sam Greenwood and Lewis O’Brien in the summer.
Both players have plenty of experience and are currently out of favour at their respective clubs meaning a loan deal could be on the cards, with a view to buying not out of the question for one of those players.
Boro’s injury nightmare
Middlesbrough started the season with centre-back Matt Clarke and both right-backs Tommy Smith and Anfernee Dijksteel missing through injury. That saw new teenage signing Rav van den Berg deputise at right-back, with Darragh Lenihan and Dael Fry playing at the heart of defence.
Smith made a very brief return at right-back, but then endured another injury, this time keeping him out for the season.
Experienced centre-back Darragh Lenihan also picked up a season-ending injury, with Paddy McNair coming in to partner Fry. McNair had performed well with Fry as Boro went on a run of victories, but as Anfernee Dijksteel and Matt Clarke returned to fitness, the side then suffered the loss of Fry and McNair to injury in successive games.
With Dijksteel to face a suspension for a red card against Leeds, Boro now prepare to face Ipswich Town with potentially just two centre-backs available for selection, Rav van den Berg and Matt Clarke, with the latter having not started a competitive game for over a year. It goes some way to explaining the possible raid on Leeds and Forest respectively for central defenders.
Worrall’s leadership qualities
Joe Worrall has made 6 appearances for Nottingham Forest this season , but has not made the squad for the last 4 games, prompting speculation that he will be allowed to look elsewhere for regular football once the January window opens.
Worrall is Forest’s club captain and has undoubted leadership qualities, something Michael Carrick could look for as he seeks to address the issue of losing senior players such as Lenihan, Smith and Lewis O’Brien-who of course came from Forest in the summer-to injury.
In the case of Charlie Cresswell, he is another who is struggling to make an impact at his club, only managing 4 appearances, with two of those very brief cameos. Cresswell is a slightly different option to Worrall, in that he is 21-years-old and a little less experienced as a consequence. He fits the club’s permanent recruitment structure better and could be viewed a long term investment. Whether Leeds would be willing to sell to a Championship rival is another matter. But the inner mechanics of the deal that has been worked out with Greenwood proves that it is not unachievable.