Middlesbrough forward Jordan Rhodes needs to kick start his career and where better than an Aston Villa side in need of a poacher?
Aston Villa might have had a breakthrough in their long and frustrating pursuit of Jordan Rhodes, the Birmingham Mail reports, with Middlesbrough looking ever closer to bringing in his potential replacement.
Villa have been relentlessly linked with the Scotland international, one of the most prolific lower league strikers post-millennium, and their timid 1-0 defeat to Wolves on Saturday further highlighted the need for another centre-forward.
With top scorer Jonathan Kodjia away on Africa Cup of Nations duty, Ross McCormack missed a glorious first-half chance when he headed wide with the goal at his mercy – an opportunity Rhodes could have taken with his eyes closed.
However, the Birmingham Mail report that Villa boss Steve Bruce could finally get his man in the coming days with Patrick Bamford – the Championship Player of the Season during his loan spell at Middlesbrough in 2014/15 – set to return to the Riverside on a permanent basis from Chelsea.
This means that Boro, the Birmingham Mail add, will be more willing to sanction Rhodes’ sale though they are still determined to earn at least £10 million for a player who has struggled to make an impact since arriving a year ago.
Nonetheless, Villa owner Tony Xia is not afraid to put his hand in his pocket and, on the back of another insipid attacking performance this weekend, a big bid for Rhodes may not be too far away.
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