Chris Wilder eyes fifth January signing, Cardiff City chase Middlesbrough striker as Charlton deal hits the buffers

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Boro have made four new additions this month, with Folarin Balogun, Aaron Connolly, Riley McGree and Caolan Boyd-Munce all moving to the Riverside.

Still, Wilder remains hopeful the club can make more additions, with the support of Boro’s Head of Football Kieran Scott and Chief Executive Neil Bausor.

“There are a couple of positions that I do think we’re light on and if we do manage to do some more business it will make us better in the second half of the season,” said Wilder ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Coventry.

“Kieran and Neil know that and are supporting that.

“But we have to do the right business. We can’t just bring players in for the sake of it.

“Everybody says it’s a difficult window and I do get that, especially now with the situation with Covid and people not really wanting to let people out and keeping people in the building.

“It’s a bit different here because there are certain players who won’t play so I’ve told them they can go. We look at it for footballing reasons and making sure they look after their own careers as well."

Cardiff interested in Ikpeazu

Boro will allow winger Marcus Browne, midfielder James Lea Siliki and striker Uche Ikpeazu to leave this month, with the latter attracting the most interest.

“There has been interest from Cardiff and from a few Championship clubs,” said Wilder when asked about Ikpeazu.

“It’s for the best for the boy to go and play football. He’s not involved with us and I’ve made that perfectly clear.

“So that decision now rests with the boy and his agent.”

Charlton pull out of Browne deal

Browne, meanwhile, had held talks with League One side Charlton, yet a potential deal appears to have fallen through.

According to The South London Press, the Addicks closely scrutinised a deal for Browne but eventually decided the switch was not right for them.

The 24-year-old hasn’t played for Boro since damaging his ACL in January of last year during an FA Cup tie at Brentford.

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