Former Middlesbrough midfielder George Boateng, who spent the latter stages of the week training with the Blues, is a target of his one-time Boro boss Steve McClaren and Nottingham Forest, according to one of this morning’s tabloids. On Thursday TWTD revealed that the 35-year-old ex-Feyenoord, Coventry, Hull City and Aston Villa man had joined Town for their pre-season preparations.

We understand that Boateng, a free agent having left Greek side Skoda Xanthi at the end of 2010/11, has arranged similar spells training with a number of sides as he looks for a new club for the season ahead.

McClaren is said to be looking to recruit various members of the Middlesbrough side with which he won the 2004 League Cup and reached the final of the 2006 UEFA Cup, including Boateng, Bolo Zenden and Jonathan Greening, while he is claimed to want Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink to join his coaching staff.

Elsewhere in this morning’s papers, as TWTD reported on Friday, former Birmingham midfielder Lee Bowyer is expected at Portman Road on Monday to sign a two-year deal with Town once he has passed a medical.

Meanwhile, the Blues squad flew out to Holland for their two-game pre-season tour this morning.

Young left-back Joe Whight, who recently signed a two-year professional deal with the club, has revealed on Twitter that he isn't amongst the 30 players and staff to have made the trip.

The 17-year-old is likely to be in the reserves side whose pre-season friendly programme begins at Haverhill Rovers on Wednesday. A full list of Town's pre-season fixtures can be found here.

Photo: Action Images

robdaful added 10:04 - Jul 10 Back off he's ours! Hopefully.
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jas0999 added 10:05 - Jul 10 Good news! No disrespect to George Boateng, but if we sign Lee Bowyer (which now seems increasngly likely), I don't think we really need two players who are 34 and 35 in our midfield. Really need a younger pacey player to compliment Bowyer. Good luck to the boys during the tour!
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Young_Git added 10:08 - Jul 10 I would far prefer Boateng than Bowyer!
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ITFC2011 added 10:09 - Jul 10 good!! hes far to old now!
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Young_Git added 10:11 - Jul 10 So is Bowyer, lets get someone who we have seen or heard about in the last year!
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Back_The_Boss added 10:12 - Jul 10 Another player that will soon be getting his pension, we need younger players.
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essexblues added 10:22 - Jul 10 yep I would have bowyer he played 35 games last year and scored goals so I'm sure he would do a good job in the championship.we need to sign coppinger and treacey as well I would be surprised if bullard comes back.
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Mark added 10:24 - Jul 10 With Bowyer about to sign, let Boateng go to Forest. I think signing older players on free transfers is a really good idea, but it needs to be the right age mix and we can't have too many mid-30s players, especially playing closely together like central midfield. Hopefully we will sign some good younger players soon. Bargain hunting is great, but thus far we've brought in £8.1M and spent around £2M this summer, plus Jewell was supposed to have transfer budget on top of that. Let's not panic, but I would like to see some exciting signings soon as I am sure we all would.

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stoofer added 10:31 - Jul 10 good not needed, we need pace in the team not mobility scooters !
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Young_Git added 10:42 - Jul 10 If we keep going through the list of unwanted free transfers we will end up signing someone lik Gravesen!!
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Suffolk_n_Good added 10:52 - Jul 10 Too old, let them have him.
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icetruckiller added 11:02 - Jul 10 Not fussed, hopefully Forest do take him.
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StowTractorBoy added 11:13 - Jul 10 Not fussed either way but reckon he will go to Forest. Don't see the urgency to sign this so called holding player when Kennedy proved he can do the job if needed. Hyam can also do the job and whilst I accept that the Manager will get another in to fit the bill there are in my opinion more important requirements for instance some players with pace. When was the last time we had players who can take opponents out of the game with an end result ?

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DiamondGezzer added 11:34 - Jul 10 Bowyer and a youngun !
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TractorRoyNo1 added 11:53 - Jul 10 lessh hoop missshter mcclarrn ish able to syne im
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Lovetown added 12:06 - Jul 10 Can i just point out that he's another 30+ player! Yes we need experience, however we're forgetting if we get into the PL we need to take players up with us that won't have a pension! We also need to be sighing 25 year olds etc.... We've only signed about about 1! And he's 26 which is good but common Jewell!!!!
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Jsl_itfc added 12:12 - Jul 10 Take him Forest ! I'd much rather Bowyer and it looks like that deal will go through next week so there's no need for another player of that age.
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tractorboy2434 added 12:18 - Jul 10 Thank God for that, a narrow escape, just remember what happened with Campo and Thatcher, we ended up paying them off, and if you give 34 and 35 year olds a 2 year contract that's what happens, just look at the pickle that Hull have got themselves in with Bullard, a salutary lesson, I would not give any of them any more than 1 year, if they don't like it then sod off elsewhere.

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ipswichm8 added 12:28 - Jul 10 dont care if he signs but the more players we get the better
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Lightningboy added 12:53 - Jul 10 Forest can have him..Bowyer is the old head we are signing,don't need another player in his mid 30's. Can we now go out and get Reo Coker or someone else of that sort of calibre please..less than a month to go PJ/Clegg/Marcus!
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dvdkev added 13:39 - Jul 10 i think it would be a big risk to sign boateng .is there any news on us getting tracey from preston ??
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Tractamatt added 13:54 - Jul 10 Good player in his day but that was 2-3 seasons back, Is there any news on tracey and what abut news on koumas its gone very quiet on both these players as well as coppinger.With the team and pj in holland does that mean that these deals are in the hands of simon clegg if so simon its time to silence your enemies.
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radiogaga added 14:03 - Jul 10 Lee Bowyer free transfer, Dean Marney £1m, central midfield, sorted... On to wide players, Keith Treacy circa £1.1m, sorted On to full back, Ryan Taylor, circa £1.5m/ season long loan, sorted (wages permitting) Centre back, Matt Kilgallon, £750k, sorted Another forward to support Chopra and Ellington? A big target man perhaps, Iwelumo sounds a good shout? Just some suggestions!

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GTRKing added 14:49 - Jul 10 look players will come soon so just wait. Bowyer good but more young heads please
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blues1 added 15:39 - Jul 10 im sorry, but some people on here simply havent got a clue. while i wouldnt exactly be gutted if he doesnt sign, what amazes me is that people are saying we need to sign youngsters, rather than experienced players. the average age of our team has been way too young for a few years now, that why we still in this division. pj has recognised that & is attempting to correct that. hes not buying players to keep us in the premier lge, just to get us there. as for us signing too many older players, so far weve signed 1, ingimarrson. somehow, i dont think 3 would be too many. somehow i dont think ne of you would have complained had we signed kevin phillips, & hes 37. im confident that any player pj signs will do a job for us. if not im sure he'll soon replace them.just back him, & whoever he signs. coyb

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