TWTD understands Middlesbrough are keen to take Blues striker Martyn Waghorn back to the North-East this summer and are among a number of Championship clubs eyeing a move for the 28-year-old.
Waghorn joined Town from Rangers for a bargain £200,000 last August and enjoyed a hugely successful first season at Portman Road.
The South Shields-born frontman was the Blues' top scorer with 16 goals and also picked up 11 assists. No one else in the Championship was directly involved in more goals.
The former Sunderland, Leicester and Wigan man’s form with Town didn’t go unnoticed elsewhere in the Championship and we understand Tony Pulis wants to add the ex-England U21 international to his Boro squad ahead of 2018/19.
Birmingham City are also among those to have been keeping tabs on Waghorn, who is contracted to Town until the summer of 2019 with the club having an option for a further year, along with Nottingham Forest, who were linked last week.
Whether the Blues would be willing to part with one of their most highly prized assets, who quickly became a fans’ favourite after moving to Suffolk, remains to be seen.
However, new boss Paul Hurst evidently wants to put his stamp on the squad and Town have already shown that they are willing to allow senior players to move on if an acceptable offer is received, Adam Webster having joined Bristol City for an initial £3.5 million rising to £8 million yesterday.
Webster’s departure and the exit of youngster Ben Knight to Manchester City for just over £1 million, which is set to be confirmed in the next few days with the fee agreed and permission from the Premier League for the move to go through granted, means the Blues are under no pressure to sell and they would almost certainly want a very significant sum for one of last season’s top Championship performers.