Middlesbrough should be looking to strengthen their attack this summer with Sammy Silvera expected to leave the club for Portsmouth.
There has been plenty of transfer activity at Middlesbrough so far this summer, on the incomings and outgoings front.
Behind the scenes, first-team coach Aaron Danks left the club to join German powerhouse Bayern Munich and was replaced by Graeme Carrick.
Paddy McNair and Liam Roberts also left the club at the beginning of June when their contracts expired, while Hayden Coulson has recently joined Blackpool on a permanent basis.
Now, reports this week suggest another name will be leaving Teesside before the end of the transfer window.
Reports on June 28th claimed that Sammy Silvera is understood to be close to joining Portsmouth on loan.
Silvera made 42 appearances for Boro last term but was primarily used off the bench and is being sent out on loan to garner more first-team experience.
The decision to hand the winger more regular football does make sense, but it could leave Michael Carrick short of options on the flanks come the start of 2024/25.
With this in mind, here are three attackers that could replace Silvera in Middlesbrough’s eleven if he does join Portsmouth.
Morgan Whittaker
Morgan Whittaker joined Plymouth Argyle on loan from Swansea City for the 2022/23 season and was crucial to them winning promotion from League One, scoring 10 and assisting seven in 46 games.
Plymouth then opted to make the 23-year-old’s loan move a permanent one ahead of the previous campaign and were very much rewarded for that decision.
Despite Plymouth’s Championship status only being confirmed on the final day, the winger scored an impressive 19 goals and provided eight assists in 46 league games.
Racking up such a high goal-contribution tally while at a struggling team should spark the interest of those in a position of power at Middlesbrough.
Plymouth are unlikely to want to sell Whittaker, but the player himself may be keen to take a step up in his career and a promotion-chasing Boro could offer him that.
Ephron Mason-Clark
Ephron Mason-Clark was signed by Coventry City on February 1st, 2024, being loaned straight back to his previous club, Peterborough United.
The 24-year-old enjoyed a prolific 2023/24 season with Peterborough, scoring 19 and assisting 14 in all competitions.
The Royals finished fourth in League One but lost to eventual winners Oxford United in the play-off semi-finals.
Mason-Clark has now returned to Coventry for the forthcoming campaign.
It may be a tough ask for Middlesbrough to convince their Championship rivals to part ways with such a promising talent but the Englishman would be a clear upgrade on Silvera.
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Aaron Collins
Aaron Collins joined Bolton Wanderers in the second half of 2023/24 from Bristol Rovers.
The 27-year-old had an instant impact at the club, scoring nine and assisting two in 22 matches.
Bolton finished third in League One and reached the play-off final before losing to Oxford.
As a result, Collins may be looking to make the step up to the Championship in 2024/25 after dominating in England’s third tier last season.
The Welshman is a natural centre-forward but can also operate on the left, making him an excellent option to have for any team.
Middlesbrough should get a closer look at Collins next month when they play Bolton Wanderers on July 20th to kick off their pre-season campaign.