Cameron Archer is set to undergo a medical with Middlesbrough today with Preston North End on the verge of missing out on his signature.
Sky Sports claim that Archer is travelling up to Teesside today in order to complete the formalities ahead of a move to Boro.
Archer will be joining Boro on loan for the rest of the season, giving Michael Carrick a vital goalscoring boost for the second half of the season.
This means the TEAMtalk claims from Tuesday, suggesting that Archer was on the verge of a move to Boro, are seemingly true.
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This comes as a major disappointment for PNE fans, who were hoping that Archer would return for another loan spell at Deepdale.
The pitchforks are being sharpened at the moment, with fans laying into North End for missing out on Archer.
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Lancs Live do though report that PNE agreed a financial package with Villa for Archer but the striker has chosen a move to Boro instead.
In that instance, what more can North End feasibly do?
PNE will have hoped that Archer’s previous spell at North End would stand them in good stead even against Championship competition, but that isn’t the case.
North End just have to move on and focus on other targets now; at least we know Archer’s fate just days into January rather than hanging on until the end of the window as was the case in the summer.
The news of Archer heading elsewhere has been compounded by fears that Emil Riis is set for a lengthy layoff.
The Dane went off in the first half against Stoke City on Monday and the early impressions on his injury are not great.
PNE may not only need one striker but now possibly two if Riis is out for an extended period of time.
Add in that Seani Maguire and Troy Parrott are still injured and Ched Evans is the only recognised senior striker available right now.
North End fans currently live in hope rather than expectation when it comes to signings but today’s developments mean we’re no long in a situation where signings would be nice – they’re simply imperative now.