Swindon Town look set to lose Aston Villa loanee Finley Munroe, with the defender poised for a Championship move.
Middlesbrough and Bristol City are the two second-tier outfits credited with an interest in the left-sided midfielder.
A report by the BBC has revealed that both teams have submitted bids for the 20-year-old, who has enjoyed an excellent season to date with Swindon.
Huge Loss For League Two Promotion Chasers
Munroe has enjoyed an excellent breakout campaign in England, following his loan stint at Real Unión in the third tier of Spanish football last term. In 27 appearances in Wiltshire, he has started all but one of Swindon’s League Two encounters. With two goals and seven assists, his presence on the left side for Ian Holloway’s side has been integral to their rise into the automatic promotion places.
Winning five of their last seven fourth-tier matches, Munroe has provided goal contributions in four of those victories. However, his season-long loan in Wiltshire is set to come to a premature end halfway through the season.
Only a handful of players in the division have laid on more assists this campaign, with the youngster setting up two goals in their Vertu Trophy thrashing of Milton Keynes Dons in November.
Holloway will be desperate to keep the core of his side together in the January window, as they target a return to League One for the first time since 2021. Aaron Drinan is another man who had been previously linked away from the County Ground in January. But his new contract, which was agreed last summer, along with his form in front of goal, will make any departure unlikely.
Middlesbrough Or Bristol City?
A move away from the West Midlands could be completed this week. It appears that these two promotion-chasers are leading the race for the 20-year-olds’ services.
Bristol City are believed to have tabled a bid of £350,000, as the Robins look to add depth to their squad. Anis Mehmeti, Zack Vyner and Mark Sykes are all out of contract at the end of the season, leaving the club with the potential to cash in during this window, if new deals cannot be agreed.
City are just two points adrift of the Play-Off places, but their inconsistent form remains, with three wins and three losses from their last six league matches.
Meanwhile, Kim Hellberg will want to implement his stamp on Middlesbrough’s squad in his first transfer window at the Teesside outfit. Their offer is around the same, but includes a sell-on clause.
Boro’ were winless in four matches over the festive period before thrashing Southampton in their most recent Championship encounter. That result means they are in second place with a two-point advantage over the chasing pack.
Wherever Munroe ends up in this window, he has the ability to aid either side’s push for promotion to the Premier League.