Middlesbrough want Emil Riis and their imminent deal for Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz doesn’t exactly end their pursuit.
Much was expected of Boro this season but their start to the campaign has been dreadful, to put it politely.
Five games gone, no wins on the board; Boro are proving to be a major disappointment under Chris Wilder this term.
Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Reading means Boro have taken just three points from their five games and Wilder wants more new signings.
Middlesbrough want Emil Riis
Boro have already backed Wilder this summer; deals for Darragh Lenihan, Marcus Forss and Matthew Hoppe showed Boro’s ambition, as did impressive loan deals for Ryan Giles, Zack Steffen and Alex Mowatt.
Yet Wilder still wants more and goals are his main focus.
Boro have been chasing Emil Riis, with North End denying that a deal has been agreed for the Dane to leave.
Riis has been on the bench for Preston’s last three Championship games and last four in total, leaving some to wonder if North End will sell.
Boro haven’t yet reached Preston’s lofty asking price though, which is certainly justified by Riis hitting 20 goals in all competitions last season.
The Teesside Gazette claim that Boro are now set to sign a striker having struck a loan deal for Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz.
Muniz, 21, joined Fulham from Flamengo last summer and scored five times in 14 league games for Marco Silva’s men.
A physical centre forward, Muniz adds another goal threat to the Boro side – but that doesn’t mean the pursuit of Riis is over.
Reports from the North East have made it clear that Wilder wants two more strikers this month even with Hoppe and Forss already on board.
Muniz will be one of them, but a loan deal means Boro will likely splash the cash on their next striker signing.
That could be Riis, but Boro will surely have to push towards £10million if they want to tempt Preston into selling.
This story isn’t over even with Muniz believed to be Boro-bound, and North End can’t rest easy just yet.