Middlesbrough have made an enquiry to Town regarding the availability of Owen Garvan, according to a report in a national newspaper this morning. The 20-year-old, confirmed in Giovanni Trapattoni's first Ireland squad yesterday, is currently mulling over whether to sign a new deal with the Blues.
Garvan's existing deal takes him up to the June 2009 and if he refuses to sign his new terms, which would run until the summer of 2011, Town would probably sell the midfielder as the fee they could achieve this summer would be vastly in excess of the compensation due if he were to leave at the end of his deal in a year's time.
If players under 24 move at the end of their contracts, rather than leaving on a free transfer their clubs receive a payment from their new side. Garvan has been linked with various Premier League sides in recent weeks, including Everton and Wigan.
Meanwhile, Town were represented at the Helsingborgs IF-Malmö FF derby last month. Aside from Henrik Larsson, an unlikely Town target, the most well-known player on show was Wigan central defender Andreas Granqvist, currently on loan for the season with the Blues' former UEFA Cup foes and named in the Sweden squad for Euro 2008 yesterday.
Sweden coach Lars Lagerbäck says the 23-year-old 6ft 3 1â„2in tall player has a lot of potential: "He's one of our most promising centre-backs.â€Â
Other possible targets in the Helsingborg side include Benin international frontman and last year's joint-top scorer in the Swedish league Razak Omotoyossi. The 22-year-old Nigeria-born player is expected to move on during the break in the Swedish season while Euro 2008 takes place after a fall-out with the management.
Players who may have been watched in the Malmö line-up include promising left-back Behrang Safari. The 23-year-old Swedish-Iranian is known for his speed and has won two full caps with the Sweden side.
Elsewhere, a report in France claims Town interest in AS Nancy striker Marc-Antoine Fortuné. However, this seems unlikely with his current side in the running for a Champions League place. Nice, Lens and West Brom are also being linked.