Two ex-Middlesbrough players are training with a Championship rival, with one of those recently describing the ‘scary’ situation of being a free agent.
Adam Reach and Cyrus Christie have been without a team since leaving their clubs in the summer and haven’t been able to find a team yet.
Reach was a product of the Middlesbrough academy, making 78 appearances before falling in the pecking order and the 31-year-old had recently been playing for West Bromwich Albion before being released in the summer.
The utility man played 19 times for West Brom last season before being made a free agent and the Teessider is still yet to find a club.
Crystie meanwhile left Hull City in the summer and the Republic of Ireland international spent one year at the Riverside Stadium in the 2017/18 campaign.
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Middlesbrough academy graduate training with Championship side, manager confirms
As revealed by the BBC, Reach and Christie are training with Championship club Swansea City after manager Luke Williams revealed they would be looking at the free-agent market.
Swansea signed eight players in the summer, the majority of them youngsters, so the acquisitions of Christie and Reach would be a shift in transfer policy.
Between the pair, they have over 800 career appearances and have featured in the Premier League and Championship regularly.
Even though the transfer window is officially closed, Reach and Christie can both sign at any time as they are not currently with a club.
Should the duo do enough to earn a deal, they would have to wait until 8 March 2025 to face Boro.
Adam Reach opens up on ‘scary’ life as a free agent
No footballer ever wants to be without a club in their career, especially in the latter stages.
Reach, now 31, is well aware that he will be reaching the twilight days sooner rather than later, and he’s admitted that free agent life has been stressful at times.
He told The Football League Paper: “I’m going through ups and downs.
“Ultimately, I love football. It’s a little bit daunting and a little bit demoralising when the phone doesn’t ring. But you’ve just got to hope someone eventually thinks I’ll be the right fit somewhere.
“We’re in a weird kind of paradox situation right now. The longevity of a player’s career is going up because we can all stay fitter for longer. But at the same time, there’s been a shift in transfer policy where the players clubs want to sign are getting younger and younger. I just need someone to pick up the phone.”