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By Daniel Ragusa
In my previous article, I stated the importance of the wide areas in a Pulis side.
With
the futures of all of Boro’s current winger’s futures uncertain, the club is
likely to be in the market for at least one wideman this summer.
The
players listed below have all proven their worth in England’s second tier and
could have a great impact on Boro’s left or right flank if they were signed
this summer.
After
introducing the players in question, I’ll take a look at the likelihood of a
transfer being completed for each player in this window.
Ollie
Watkins
Young,
versatile and already a proven talent, Watkins started out his career at Exeter
City where, after breaking through into the first-team in the 2016/17 season,
he won the EFL Young Player of the Year Award in 2017.
This,
as well as his performances during his breakthrough season, earned him a £1.8m
move to Brentford last summer. Despite the change of scenery, his form of the
previous season continued as he scored 10 goals in his first Championship
season.
Watkins,
a player who is just as comfortable leading the line or in the number 10 role
as he is out wide, possesses a versatility rarely seen at such a young age.
Should
the 22-year old become available, clubs in both the Championship and Premier
League would likely be interested in the idea of bringing the Englishman on
board and Boro should definitely be one of those sides in contention for him.
Transfer
Likelihood: 5/10 – Brentford are unlikely to sell their best players to a
‘promotion rival’ and it would take big money to lure him away. Potentially
though a player which Boro might throw a bid in for.
Matt
Phillips
A
Scottish international with a peach of a left foot, Phillips rose from League 2
to the Premier League via Wycombe Wanderers, Blackpool, Queens Park Rangers and
West Bromwich Albion.
Having
starred in the Championship at Loftus Road but failing to find consistent form
in the Premier League at the Hawthorns,
the 27-year old could be categorised as one of those players who are
“too good for the Championship but not good enough for the Premier League”.
The
winger played most of his 30 games last season on the right hand side of West
Brom’s midfield, but only managed to register two goals and two assists during
the whole season.
When
the transfer window first opened, Boro were linked with a move for the powerful
and versatile attacker, but nothing has gained substance since. Could a
Pulis-Phillips reunion be on the cards? Potentially, but any deal with
promotion rivals West Brom won’t come cheap and as the
Transfer
Likelihood: 6/10 – Despite the Boro link early on in the window, West Brom will
be wary of the impact Phillips could have on a championship side chasing the promotion
goal, and may not sell to us for that reason. A
deal is pretty unlikely but not impossible.
Albert
Adomah
When
it comes to proven Championship wingers, Boro may have had one of the best on
their books when they last won promotion to the Premier League.
The
Ghanaian has history on Teesside and on the whole it’s positive. Not much bad
blood was shown between the two parties when Boro came face to face with Uncle
Albert five times last season.
He
showed his eternal respect for the Boro fans on numerous occasions as he
applauded and thumped his chest when he returned to the club where he
established himself as a fan favourite between 2013 and 2017.
Adomah
showed outstanding form last season for Villa, netting 15 goals and adding 5
assists, proving to everyone why he’s still one of the Championship’s best
talents.
Boro
know all about his crossing abilities and he certainly wouldn’t look out of
place slotting back in on either of Boro’s wings.
Transfer
Likelihood: 6/10 – Villa will see him as a crucial player considering his goal
contributions last season, however Boro could turn Albert’s head and he may
force through a move. I don’t
think many Boro fans would complain should the 30-year old make a Riverside
return, and with Villa’s current financial state, a deal is a possibility.
Adam
Reach
Another
former Boro player who should probably have been kept, the Chester-le-Street
born winger moved to Hillsborough in 2016 for around £5m, a fee which has since
been proven to be quite a coup.
Reach
offers height, pace and scores the occasional long ranger, so he definitely holds
the attributes of a typical Tony Pulis winger.
He’s
also played numerous times at left back whilst playing at Hillsborough, and
this versatility and defensive quality could prove to be vitally important to
Boro’s promotion push.
The
25-year old may have some fond memories on Teesside and could feel that he has
a point to prove, but he seems happy at Wednesday and appears to be one of
their key players.
Transfer
Likelihood: 4/10 – Reach is unlikely to move from Wednesday and especially back
to Boro where he didn’t really have too much faith placed in him. Should Boro
put in a bid higher than they received for him however, Wednesday could be
interested.
Robert
Snodgrass
A
player who Boro seem to have been chasing forever, Snodgrass is a player who
sticks to what he’s good at. Deliveries.
If
Boro are in need of a last minute goal this season, Flint, Ayala and Gestede should
all be waiting in the box. There are not many players who were playing at
Championship level last season who you’d want to be crossing it in other than
Robert.
Although
he may not be blessed with the ability to beat a defender for pace, he creates
goals when they are needed most.
West
Ham are thought to be keen on retaining the Scotsman, but should the 30-year
old demand more game time, a loan or permanent transfer back to the
Championship, a transfer to Teesside could be suitable for all parties.
Transfer
Likelihood: 7/10 – This season could be the one where we finally get our long
term target. I’d imagine Robert would be keen should he be promised to be a key
player in Boro’s side. West Ham are linked with countless wingers so moving him
out should be their next step whether it be on loan or permanently.
Kamil
Grosicki
The
Hull City winger is an ever-present in the Polish squad, but hasn’t had an easy
time playing for The Tigers since joining from Stade Rennais in January 2017.
Despite
having undisputed talent and contributing 9 goals and 11 assists in the 57
games he’s played since arriving at the KCOM, Grosicki’s work ethic and
willingness to track back has been questioned at times by the Hull fans and
seemingly by those inside the club too; reports suggest that Grosicki has been
given just two weeks to prove his fitness otherwise he’ll be shown the exit
door.
However,
regardless of these shortcomings, Kamil is a player with skill and an eye for a
finish as displayed in the first of two 3-1 victories of the Tigers last
season.
Perhaps
the 30-year old needs a change in the final years of his career and Boro could
potentially get his signature on the cheap if Nigel Adkins sees fit to move the
Pole on to pastures new.
Transfer
Likelihood: 6/10 – Hull clearly don’t have a great relationship with him and
the player could want to move somewhere local. Middlesbrough would fit that
bill and he’d be a decent signing for us should he improve on his fitness.
Modou
Barrow
The
Gambian offers great pace and possesses outstanding dribbling skills. Sounds
familiar, doesn’t it?
Since
signing for Garry Monk’s Swansea back in 2014, Barrow had initially found it
difficult adapting to life in the UK.
However,
after multiple unsuccessful loans, the 25-year old finally found a place where
he shone: the Madejski Stadium.
Last
season Barrow netted 10 goals and provided 6 assists in a relegation-threatened
Reading side, further emphasising his qualities as he carried his side to
Championship safety.
The
potential of having Adama on one wing and Barrow on the other is frightening,
and surely a possibility that Boro should explore. However, would Reading be
keen to lose their key talisman?
Transfer
Likelihood: 7/10 – The Reading man may want to move on from the Madejski if he
has ambitions to play in the Premier League again. Boro may be a good fit for
him because he’s then got a greater chance of making it back up there and proving
to everyone why he’s worthy of playing at that level. It may take a fair bit of
cash to lure him away however.
Chris
Brunt
What
you see is what you get with Chris Brunt, a hard-working leader comfortable in
both attack and defence.
There’s
no wonder Pulis loves the West Brom man and why he’d fit straight into Boro’s
team at full-back or on the wing.
Brunt
left Middlesbrough’s academy in 2004 having failed to make a single appearance
for the first team and signed for Sheffield Wednesday. He would go on to
establish himself as a key member of the Wednesday squad, making a total of 147
appearances between 2004 and 2007.
He
then moved to the Baggies and after 374 appearances, 47 goals and 82 assists,
he has become a key figure at the club and proved his worth in the Premier
League season after season.
However,
should Pulis and Boro go back in for their former player, it would be difficult
to turn him away from a club where he’s achieved so much, and bring him to a club
who didn’t give him a sniff in his youth.
Transfer
Likelihood: 4/10 – Chris will likely feel more than at home at West Brom, a
place where he’s spent over ten years. Moving to Boro may be seen as a sideways
step for him but at his age, he might want to move back to where he came from,
Middlesbrough. Pulis would certainly be keen on his former captain but a move
seems unlikely this season.
Harry
Wilson
The
future Welsh wizard could be a great asset on the Boro flanks this season.
Numerous
reports have seen Boro linked with a potential loan move for the 21-year old
Liverpool man who spent last season on loan at Hull City.
In
just 13 appearances for The Tigers he scored 7 goals and conjured up 3 assists,
a contribution that proved crucial in preventing his side’s relegation to
League 1.
Wilson
has gained much praise from his manager Jürgen Klopp, who sees a big future at
the Merseyside club for the man from Wrexham. But with playing time likely
limited at Anfield, a loan to a top-half Championship club seems like the
obvious next step.
Boro
will have to beat clubs such as Celtic, Swansea, West Brom and approximately 10
other Championship clubs to Wilson’s signature. It’s probably time for Neil
Bausor to bring out his best cheesy grin and lure him to the Riverside.
Transfer
Likelihood: 7/10 – Boro are definitely interested and Liverpool are likely to
loan him out. If we guarantee him game time a deal could be struck but there is
a lot of teams in for him meaning that it’s a free-for-all for his signature.
Multiple reports however suggest that Ex-Liverpool man Stephen Gerrard has the
first say on whether or not he’d like to bring Wilson and other of his former
clubs players to the Scottish club on loan. An opportunity you’d imagine Gerrard
would likely take if he knows the talent the Welshman possesses.
Bakary
Sako
Once
a Championship star but now a free agent, to say Sako’s career has stalled
would be an understatement.
The
6ft former Wolves winger was their top scorer in both League 1 and the
Championship and frightened the life out of defenders in the 118 appearances he
made for the club.
His
pace, strength and brilliant goal record earned him a move to Crystal Palace in
2015, where things unfortunately didn’t work out. After 43 league appearances
and just 5 goals for the club, Sako is now a free agent.
With
pace, power, strength and experience, Boro could look into signing the 30-year
old Malian as a cheap alternative to some of the others on this list. However,
his commitment and fitness could prove to be deal-breakers considering Sako
would be playing in a no-nonsense Tony Pulis side.
Transfer
Likelihood: 5/10 – A fractured ankle injury sustained in February may scupper
Boro’s chances of getting him but he is a player in which I’m sure we’ll keep
an eye on. He also would probably be open for a move back to the Championship,
a place he once lit up.
Any
player from that list in my opinion would have a great impact on this Boro team
and spark the creativity needed in the wide areas.
If
I were top pick one player from this list for Boro to sign, it would probably
be Ollie Watkins. He’s got youth and a lot of potential on his side and he’ll
share Boro’s desire to reach the Premier League.
The
more realistic option however is Harry Wilson. He’s a player in which would
cost Boro very little, meaning there’s minimal risk involved but a lot of potential
to prove a great move for Boro, Liverpool and the Welshman himself. Rangers
appear to be in pole position for the 21-year old however, meaning Boro may
need to have other alternative options in the working.
Which
player would you like to see Boro sign from this list? Or if you have any other
suggestions for players we could sign, feel free to tweet them to @boropolis.
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