Highlights
- Middlesbrough may need to focus on the January transfer window to secure their place in the play-offs.
- The team is interested in signing Leeds United defender Charlie Cresswell, who has limited playing time this season.
- Cresswell’s aggression and potential for improvement make him a good fit for Middlesbrough’s defensive needs.
Vying for a place in the Championship’s top six once again, Middlesbrough have struggled at times under Michael Carrick this season, who has felt the full force of life without Chuba Akpom. Those at the Riverside Stadium have at least turned around their early season form, however, which saw them plummet to potential relegation trouble, and are now just three points adrift of the all-important play-offs.
If they are to secure their shot at Wembley though, then Boro may well need to turn their attention towards the January transfer window sooner rather than later. And that could see them pursue the signature of one particular defender, who is out-of-favour at Boro’s promotion rivals.
Middlesbrough transfer news
Replacing Akpom’s goals was always going to be a near-impossible task for Middlesbrough during the summer transfer window, given that he found the back of the net a stunning 28 times last season. Carrick is yet to find a solution to life without his star striker too, which has seen his side remain on course to finish outside of the top six. But goals haven’t been Boro’s biggest problem this season. Instead, their issues have come at the other end and that could see them welcome a rival defender in January.
According to The Sunderland Echo, Middlesbrough are keen on signing Leeds United defender Charlie Cresswell, who has started just one Championship game this season. The 21-year-old enjoyed an impressive loan spell at Millwall last season, where he came within touching distance of securing a place in the play-offs. Despite that Championship experience, however, the defender is yet to be handed regular starting opportunities by Daniel Farke at Elland Road and could benefit from a move elsewhere.

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The Whites could be left short in that area if he leaves.
It remains to be seen whether Boro decide to push ahead to sign Cresswell, but he certainly ticks the right boxes for Carrick. The Englishman is young, experienced at his side’s current level and only likely to improve with more minutes.
“Aggressive” Cresswell needs minutes
As a young player, Cresswell needs minutes if he is to reach his potential. He got exactly that at Millwall last season and impressed former manager Gary Rowett as a result. Rowett told the South London Press:
“Knowing his dad and the character he had, you can see that in the lad as well. He’s been brought up really well with a real hunger for work-rate. He’s an aggressive boy who wants to fight, I think that’s why Millwall was something they were very, very keen on even though they had some very good other options.
“A loan player wants to know they’ll get a fair chance and what you’re offering is actually what it says on the tin – not just to try and get the player into our club. He’s not going to be our player at the end of it, he’s going to be Leeds’ player, so we’ve got to do the best job we can along the way.”
Given Middlesbrough’s goals conceded record in the Championship this season of 29, which is worse than all but two sides above them, Carrick could certainly do with the defensive boost that Cresswell could provide.