Middlesbrough news and transfer rumours: Danny Rose advised to stay at Tottenham plus competition for Liverpool defender

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Boro have enquired about signing another centre-back while they have also been linked with a couple of left-sided defenders.

Here are some of the latest transfer rumours and news stories concerning the Teessiders:

Former team-mate comments on Danny Rose situation

Alan Hutton and Danny Rose played together at Tottenham.

Earlier this week Boro linked with a shock move for Tottenham left-back Danny Rose, yet his former team-mate Alan Hutton doesn’t believe the 30-year-old should drop down to the Championship.

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton said: “If I was him, I wouldn’t rush into anything.

“It’s not ideal, him not playing football, but does he, this sounds bad, but does he want to go to Middlesbrough? It’s basically saying he’s not going to play with England, pretty much.

“He really needed to make a move where he was playing at a high level and there was a chance of him getting back into the England squad. They’re crying out for a left-sided player – they played Trippier on the left, Chilwell’s there but they need other players to be firing for next summer.

“I think he would want to make a move where he’s playing at a high level and, look, it’s no disrespect to Middlesbrough, I heard there were reports of foreign clubs looking at him for loan, whether that would be a better option for him.

Competition for Liverpool defender

If Boro do bring anyone else in before Friday’s deadline, the most likely outcome is they will sign another centre-back on loan.

Liverpool defender Nathaniel Phillips has been linked with several Championship clubs, including Boro, while the Liverpool Echo have reported the 23-year-old doesn’t seem to have a future at Anfield.

They report the centre-back could leave the club on loan but a permanent deal isn’t off the cards either.

Bristol City, Reading, Swansea and Nottingham Forest are all said to be interested in buying Phillips, yet that option may not be available for Boro.

When fans could return

Finally, culture secretary Oliver Dowden has been discussing when fans could return to football stadiums.

Dowden faced a DCMS Select Committee on Wednesday and was grilled on a number of topics – including Project Big Picture and government support for struggling sporting clubs.

On the topic of fans attending live sporting events, Dowden said: “I desperately wanted socially distanced fans in stadiums from the start of October but we had to pause that because of the rapidly rising rates of infection,” he told the Select Committee.

“It's not just the stadium. it is the journey to and from the stadium both on public transport and people being likely to want something to eat or drink on the way.

“When we get to the point that we have confidence we have the disease under control so that it is not on a rapid upward curve I would rapidly return to this decision.”

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