Middlesbrough want loanees Harold Moukoudi and Patrick Roberts to long-term deals

Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate says he would love to re-sign loanees Harold Moukoudi and Patrick Roberts next season if circumstances allow.
Read More
READ MORE:

Central defender Moukoudi has played every minute of the seven matches since his move from Saint-Etienne went through. Roberts also joined in January, from Manchester City, and played in four of five games before a hamstring injury kept him out until the coronavirus lockdown.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Making hard and fast plans for summer recruitment is extremely difficult, with Woodgate not yet knowing how the economic effects of the pandemic will impact on his transfer budget, or if Boro will be in the Championship. But when asked about Moukoudi and Roberts, he confirmed he would like both back at the Riverside next season.

Middlesbrough's Harold Moukoudi (left) battles for possession of the ball with Brentford's Josh Dasilva (right) (PIcture: PA)Middlesbrough's Harold Moukoudi (left) battles for possession of the ball with Brentford's Josh Dasilva (right) (PIcture: PA)
Middlesbrough's Harold Moukoudi (left) battles for possession of the ball with Brentford's Josh Dasilva (right) (PIcture: PA) | PA Wire

“We don’t know how things are going to work out, but I’d love to sign them, I’m a big fan of them both,” he said.

Saint-Etienne are reportedly willing to sell Cameroon international Moukoudi, though how the transfer market will look whenever the window opens is anyone’s guess. The Ligue 1 season has been abandoned, with the French government prohibiting football until at least September. Although the Football League are keen to complete the Championship, it has not been possible to make firm plans yet.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Boro are two points above the relegation zone with nine matches to play.

Roberts joined Manchester City from Fulham five years ago, but his 61 starts since have come on loan, at Celtic, Girona, Norwich City and Boro.

Middlesbrough's Patrick Roberts in action against Fulham (Picture: PA)Middlesbrough's Patrick Roberts in action against Fulham (Picture: PA)
Middlesbrough's Patrick Roberts in action against Fulham (Picture: PA) | PA Wire

With two years left on his contract, the 23-year-old is expected to be sent on loan again next season. As with Moukoudi, there are bound to be rival suitors if finances allow.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Despite the uncertainty, Woodgate has ramped up his recruitment work in lockdown.

“I’ve been doing a lot of recruitment work (during lockdown) and speaking to the recruitment department regularly,” he revealed.

“I’ve been watching players who the recruitment team have watched and we’ve all been forming an opinion.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate (Picture: PA)Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate (Picture: PA)
Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate (Picture: PA) | PA Wire

There will also be decisions on out-of-contract players. Former Leeds United midfielder Jonny Howson has arguably been Boro’s player of the season, and before the lockdown Woodgate was optimistic he would commit to stay beyond June. Captain George Friend is another Boro are likely to want to keep, despite only five Championship starts in an injury-hit season.

The Football League is proposing clubs make decisions on their out-of-contract players by June 23, either offering a new contract, an extension until midnight on the season’s final day, or informing them they will be released at the end of June. Those players could not appear for new clubs until next season.

Ryan Shotton, Daniel Ayala, Rudy Gestede, Marvin Johnson and Adam Clayton are also out of contract on June 30, while Lukas Nmecha and Ravel Morrison are on loan. Morrison’s Sheffield United deal expires this summer.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.

If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.

Sincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson

Editor

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.