Ireland goalkeeper Randolph has been tipped to re-join Premier League strugglers West Ham United from Jonathan Woodgate’s Boro.
Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate has played down speculation that Darren Randolph could be on his way back to West Ham United next month, while speaking to the Hartlepool Mail.
TEAMtalk reported on Monday that the Republic of Ireland international had entered talks with a club he represented between 2015 and 2017, ahead of a potential return to the London Stadium.
Arguably the Championship’s stand-out goalkeeper last season, Randolph is one of Middlesbrough’s highest earners and the report suggested that potential Financial Fair Play sanctions left the North East outfit in no choice but to cash in.
But former Tottenham, Real Madrid and Newcastle defender Woodgate believes that this ongoing paper talk is exactly that and nothing more.
“That’s the right word – ‘linked’. I’ll let you know when we’ve got some news on that,” Woodgate said when asked whether there was truth to the reports.
“At the minute we’re not in January so when we cross that bridge I’ll let you know.”
TEAMtalk are not the only publication who have suggested that Randolph is on his way back to West Ham, however, and it is no secret that the Premier League strugglers need a new goalkeeper with Roberto Jimenez proving to be a disaster in the absence of the injured Lukasz Fabianski.
Interestingly, Randolph grew tired of life on the bench at West Ham during his two years in the top flight and it remains to be seen whether he would accept a number two role once again when Fabianski returns to full fitness.
Middlesbrough paid £5 million to sign Randolph in 2015 (Evening Standard).
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