Middlesbrough midfielder Grant Leadbitter has been linked with Championship rivals Nottingham Forest and League One outfit Sunderland.
Grant Leadbitter appears to be finished at Middlesbrough.
According to TEAMtalk, the experienced midfielder isn’t in Tony Pulis’ plans for next season and could be allowed to leave for a minimal fee this summer. And, the report adds, former club Sunderland were keen to lure Leadbitter a few miles north back to the club where he started his career.
But Aitor Karanka was also keeping a close eye on the situation. The Northern Echo reported that Karanka was keen to bring his former Middlesbrough captain, who led the Riverside outfit to promotion in 2016, to his new Nottingham Forest side.
A month after those reports emerged, who is leading the race right now?
Well, it seems that Nottingham Forest might be a more likely destination than Sunderland with the latter set to sign another defensively minded midfielder in Reading’s George Evans.
The Chronicle claims that the 23-year-old has been identified by Black Cats boss Jack Ross as the ideal player to add energy to the engine room. Sunderland have had a six-figure bid accepted and Evans is now due for a medical.
Therefore, this could leave the door open for Forest – particularly after Karanka admitted his desire to bring in another midfielder amid doubts about a permanent deal for last season’s loan star Jack Colback.
Leadbitter would provide leadership and experience. If Forest want to end their 20-year Premier League exile, signing a player who was promoted just two years ago wouldn’t be a bad idea.
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