Middlesbrough striker latest, Nottingham Forest man linked plus Daniel Ayala opens up on Blackburn move

The Boro boss said on Monday he wants to sign two more strikers before the end of the transfer window and the club are in advanced talks with his No. 1 target.

Warnock wouldn’t reveal the identity of the player, yet it’s now been claimed he was talking about former Arsenal frontman Chuba Akpom.

The 24-year-old left North London permanently to join Greek side PAOK in 2018 and led the line during Tuesday’s shock 2-1 Champions League win over Benfica.

Yet reports from Greece have claimed Akpom will be allowed to leave the club and a fee of around £2.8million has been agreed with Boro.

Forest midfielder linked

Another player who has been linked with Boro this week is Nottingham Forest midfielder Ryan Yates.

According to the Daily Mirror, Boro and Millwall are both keen on the 22-year-old who is under contract at the City Ground until 2023.

Yates scored three goals in 27 Championship appearances for Forest last season, including one against Boro at the Riverside.

The report claims Forest are considering £1.5million bids rising to £2million for the midfielder.

Ayala discusses Blackburn move

Finally, former Boro defender Daniel Ayala has been discussing his move to Blackburn after penning a three-year contract at Ewood Park.

The 29-year-old turned down a new deal at the Riverside earlier this year before leaving the club in June.

"It’s been a long time coming and it’s great to sign, I just can’t wait to get started now," Ayala told iFollow Rovers.

"It’s a club with big ambitions and a club that wants to be in the Premier League. Rovers was my first choice all along, but a big offer came from abroad that I had to think long and hard about.

"But this was something I wanted to do, I wanted to stay in England, I want to play in the Premier League again, and I feel here at Rovers we have a good chance of achieving that.

"My mentality throughout my career is to play at the highest and best level that I possibly can.”

A message from the Editor:

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to the Hartlepool Mail website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit here to sign up. You can subscribe to the newspaper with 20% off here. Thank you.