Middlesbrough

Image source, Rex Features

Several Championship clubs will be playing close attention to comments from Aston Villa boss Unai Emery about attacking midfielder Louie Barry.

The 21-year-old has been recalled by Villa this week after a stellar loan spell with League One Stockport, where he scored 16 goals this season.

Leeds, Sunderland, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Derby, Middlesbrough, Millwall and Coventry are among the clubs reported to be keen on taking Barry for a stint in the second tier for the remainder of the campaign.

Speaking ahead of Villa's FA Cup third round clash with West Ham, Emery said: "(Barry) trained with us and we are going to make a plan with him, an overall plan,

"I think he is a very good player who is progressing well. He has been on loan doing fantastic. Now we can have a new plan with him.

"He improved because he was scoring a lot of goals on loan. With us he only trained today and yesterday. Of course we are going to try and get a good plan for the club with him."

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Middlesbrough have won their last two FA Cup games against Blackburn, with this their first meeting in the competition since a 1-0 home win in the 2001-02 fifth round.

Meanwhile, Rovers are unbeaten in their past 10 away games against Middlesbrough in all competitions (W3 D7), and have already won 1-0 at the Riverside Stadium this season in the Championship.

Middlesbrough are lining up a loan for Bournemouth's Republic of Ireland keeper Mark Travers. (Football Insider), external

Want more EFL transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column.

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Middlesbrough forward Marcus Forss is expected to return to the matchday squad for their FA Cup third round tie against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

The Finland international has missed the past eight league games due to a recurrent hamstring injury but is back training with the squad.

However, not participating on the weekend are midfielder Aidan Morris and defender Luke Ayling, although they may see a return to action next week.

Meanwhile, Boro boss Michael Carrick has no update on the futures of Liverpool loanee Ben Doak and winger Isaiah Jones amid interest from other clubs.

"There's interest and there's no getting away from that," Carrick told BBC Radio Tees. "But there's nothing for me to confirm either way at the moment."

Boro coach Grant Leadbitter must serve a one-match touchline ban after admitting a charge of misconduct by the FA.

Leadbitter will also pay a £1,000 fine after it was alleged he acted in an improper manner and/or insulted a match official around the tunnel area following the 1-1 draw with Cardiff on Saturday.

Image source, Rex Features

Forward Matthew Hoppe has left Middlesbrough after having his contract terminated by mutual consent.

The United States international, 23, joined Boro from Mallorca for £2.5m in August 2022 but made just six appearances, all as a substitute, for the club.

Hoppe had loan spells with Scottish Premiership side Hibernian and Major League Soccer outfit San Jose Earthquakes in 2023.

He scored six goals in 15 Bundesliga starts for Schalke in the 2020/21 season before moving to play for Mallorca in La Liga, where he made only five appearances.

Luton Town are in advanced talks with Middlesbrough to sign winger Isaiah Jones, with the 25-year-old expected to cost around £5m. (Northern Echo, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Thursday's gossip here.

Image source, Rex Features

Two Championship fixtures have been selected for free-to-air TV coverage in the coming weeks.

The all-Yorkshire game between Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday at Elland Road on Sunday, 19 January (12:00 GMT) will be broadcast live on ITV1 and ITVX.

The Tees-Wear derby between Middlesbrough and Sunderland on Monday, 3 February (20:00 GMT) will also be screened live on ITV4 and ITVX.

It is part of an agreement between Sky Sports, ITV and the EFL , externalto give fans the chance to watch coverage of selected EFL and EFL Cup fixtures on free-to-air channels.

There are five straight days of free-to-air coverage of the FA Cup third round, from this Thursday, across the BBC and ITV.

The second leg of the EFL Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Tottenham at Anfield on Thursday, 6 February (20:00 GMT) will also be broadcast live on ITV1 and ITVX.

You can find all this week's fixtures here.

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Crystal Palace are interested in Liverpool forward Ben Doak, who is on loan at Middlesbrough in the Championship as they look for January reinforcements.

The Eagles are looking to add a left wing-back and an attacker to their squad to increase the options manager Oliver Glasner has for the second half of the season.

Doak has two goals and six assists in 21 appearances for Middlesbrough so far this season.

Liverpool have had offers for Doak with clubs in the Premier League and across Europe showing interest in the Scotland winger. Palace have had a £15m bid rejected, according to reports.

However, the bids so far for 19-year-old do not come close to what the Reds are looking for, with the Anfield club valuing him at about £30m.

Doak has helped Boro to fifth place in the Championship and are happy with how his stint at the Riverside club is going. They believe he has the quality to return and play for them in the future.

The Eagles have also been linked with Jobe Bellingham of Sunderland and RC Lens midfielder Andy Diouf, but one source has said a move for either midfielder is unlikely this month.

Elsewhere, Chelsea do have a recall option on Trevoh Chalobah, who is on loan at Selhurst Park but Glasner is "planning" for him to stay.

"Trevoh is doing very well for us and we are planning with him," the Austrian said after Saturday's 1-1 draw between the clubs.

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St Mirren have signed goalkeeper Zach Hemming on loan from Middlesbrough until the end of the season, with manager Stephen Robinson hinting he would like to make the addition permanent.

Hemming spent the first half of this season at League One side Leyton Orient, but returned to his parent club on 1 January and now heads north to a club he is familiar with.

The 24-year-old spent last season on loan in Paisley, making 33 league appearances as Robinson's side finished fifth.

"We're delighted to have Zach back," Robinson said. "We all know what he can do. He was very successful last season and we will be in discussions with Middlesbrough as we look at the potential of making it permanent at the end of the season.

"My job is to make the squad as strong as we possibly can in every position. I believe bringing Zach in strengthens the squad and gives us another percentage in trying to stay in the top six."

Robinson says Hemming's arrival will likely mean a loan exit for goalkeeper Peter Urminsky, while the Northern Irishman also revealed Brentford could recall current number one Ellery Balcombe during the January window.

"It allows us to look for a loan option for Peter [Urminsky]," Robinson added. "We believe Peter will be a top-class goalkeeper but he needs games.

"Brentford also have a call-back option with Ellery [Balcombe] and that's up to Brentford what they do with that situation. But at the minute, we've got very good competition for goalkeepers."

Promotion-chasing Middlesbrough host struggling Cardiff City on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Boro took all three points on New Year's Day thanks to Alex Gilbert's last gasp goal in their 1-0 win against Hull City to consolidate fifth place.

Cardiff's 1-1 draw against Coventry City came with plenty of drama of its own, with boss Omer Riza claiming that the fourth official's promotion to match referee for his first Championship game led to a harsh dismissal of striker Callum Robinson in the 47th minute.

The Bluebirds are appealing to overturn the red card decision so Robinson may feature in the trip to the Riverside.

• Middlesbrough have won six of their last seven league meetings with Cardiff City (L1), including each of the last four.

• Cardiff City have won three of their last six away league games against Middlesbrough (D1 L2), though did lose 2-0 in this exact fixture this term.

• Middlesbrough have drawn their last two home league games (3-3 v Sheffield Wednesday, 0-0 v Burnley) and could draw three in a row at the Riverside Stadium for the first time since February 2020 under Jonathan Woodgate.

• Cardiff City ended a 13-game winless run away from home in the Championship when beating Watford 2-1 in their final game of 2024 – the Bluebirds last won back-to-back matches on the road in April.

• Callum Robinson has scored each of Cardiff City's last three away league goals and the striker could score in three straight Championship appearances away from home for the very first time (120 away apps).

Image source, PA Media

Middlesbrough held third-place Burnley to a goalless draw on Sunday to see them keep their spot in the top six.

But while the points were shared between the two promotion-chasing teams, Boro defender Dael Fry feels his side displayed a higher quality.

"They're a good team, a top side in the division, but coming off the pitch, I said to the lads, 'I think we are a better team than them'," Fry told BBC Radio Tees.

"Over both games we had against them over the season, we defended well and we created chances.

"There's no reason we can't kick on now and challenge."

Boro fans will be especially pleased to see their club come out with a clean sheet, having led Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 at half-time on Boxing Day before throwing it away as the game ended in a 3-3 draw.

The 27-year-old, who featured in the entire match against the Owls, said that result came as a "shock" but that the negative emotions served as a reminder.

"To concede three goals in the second half, we were all disappointed, and we knew against Burnley that we had to be on our mettle," Fry added.

"There's no reason we can't do that every game, we just need to be more consistent.

"No matter who we play, we've got to be 100% committed."

You can listen to the full post-match reaction on BBC Sounds.

The final Championship fixture of the weekend features two promotion-chasing teams as Middlesbrough host Burnley on Sunday evening.

The sides drew 1-1 in an entertaining reverse tie at Turf Moor in early December but seventh-placed Boro have faltered a little since then, winning just once and letting slip a three-goal lead at home to Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day.

By contrast, the Clarets are flying high in third place, a point behind table toppers Leeds United, after extending their unbeaten run to 10 matches with a clinical away win over second-placed Sheffield United.

• Middlesbrough are winless in six league games against Burnley (D3 L3) since winning 1-0 in December 2015 under Aitor Karanka.

• Burnley won 2-1 against Middlesbrough at the Riverside last time out in 2022-23 – they've never won consecutive away league games against them.

• Middlesbrough have won their final league game of the year in each of the past three years, winning 2-1 in every game – against Blackpool in 2021, Blackburn in 2022 and Huddersfield in 2023.

• Burnley lost their final league game of the year 3-2 against Aston Villa in 2023 but haven't done so in consecutive years since between 2005 and 2010 (six in a row).

• Burnley manager Scott Parker has one win in five Championship meetings with Middlesbrough (D3 L1), winning 1-0 win Fulham in January 2020. His five games against them have produced just four goals (2 for, 2 against).

Mark Drury
BBC Radio Tees commentator

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What do Boro need?

Boro have a potential issue at right-back where Anfernee Dijksteel is entering the final six months of his contract and Luke Ayling has struggled to hit the heights of last season's loan spell, while Tommy Smith remains a long-term injury absentee.

Recent injuries to Aidan Morris and Hayden Hackney showed the strength in depth in central midfield may need to be augmented if a promotion push is to be sustained, while the right side of attack may need reinforcing too.

What business are they likely to do?

So much depends on what happens with Emmanuel Latte Lath. Ipswich tried to sign him at the end of the summer window and Boro are braced for renewed interest in the Ivorian.

If he leaves it will only be for a figure that suits the club, with the money then being used to buy a replacement and augment other areas of the squad.

It also wouldn't be a surprise to see some fringe figures depart if the interest is there. Dan Barlaser and Isaiah Jones are two players who would surely interest other Championship clubs if they were available.

How successful have they been in recent January windows?

January 2023 put rocket boosters under Michael Carrick's squad just a couple of months after replacing Chris Wilder.

Cameron Archer and Aaron Ramsey dovetailed perfectly with Chuba Akpom and Ryan Giles to help propel Boro to the play-offs where they drew a blank against Coventry in the semi-final.

Are there likely to be any notable departures?

Latte Lath is an obvious talking point but the player Boro coaches and fans alike would be devastated to lose is Ben Doak. The winger is on a season-long loan from Liverpool and everyone on Teesside is praying they don't recall him.

How key is the window?

Right now Boro have their strongest squad for years. It was built with the express intention of challenging for automatic promotion and to this point Boro have underachieved in that regard.

Some freshening up in the right areas may help unlock the potential that is undoubtedly there.