Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder has this loan warning to Hartlepool United ahead of January window

Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder has warned Hartlepool United they will face loan competition from other clubs for their fringe players in the January transfer window.
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Speaking earlier this month, Graeme Lee suggested he could revisit his former club in the January transfer market as he looks to improve his squad.

Upon his arrival in early December, Lee was assured there will be funds available to spend in January should he need to bolster his squad after a busy Christmas period at the Suit Direct Stadium.

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Lee has spoken at length about the desire to only bring in players if they are able to make an immediate impact on the squad and that could mean heading back to his former club Middlesbrough.

Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

The likes of Connor Malley, Jeremy Sivi and Williams Kokolo could all be available for loan from Boro.

Wilder joked that Boro are not a ‘feeder club’ for Pools – and they would face competition from other clubs to sign their youngsters.

Wilder said: “I think Hartlepool would quite fancy a few of our players but we’re not a feeder club for Hartlepool.

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“He’ll have to go through the correct process. There will be other clubs in for the players as they have been always.

“The players that are out on loan, they are good players and they are out there for a reason. So whether they come back or they stay out on loan or we send a few more out on loan.

“We’re in a little bit of a difficult situation at the moment because, numbers wise, we have to be careful that we don’t leave ourselves light.

“The main priority is the first-team,” he added. “My main priority is making sure that we are as strong as possible. It’s not up to me to give players what they want.”

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Lee spent over a decade on Teesside in Boro’s academy ranks as he helped develop players for the first team and, as a result, will be more than familiar with the players among the Championship club’s ranks and what they could bring to his side.

“I’ve spoken to Middlesbrough regarding certain players - the ones I know well,” Lee revealed earlier this month.

“But we’ve not just spoken to Middlesbrough, we have spoken to many, many different clubs in the last two weeks and it’s about bringing the right ones in.

“I know there’s certain players at Middlesbrough who could come in and impact us but I also know there’s an array of different clubs so my job, and the job of the staff, is to pick the right ones to come in.”

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