The Middlesbrough defender is known to Leeds United’s director of football.
Leeds United and Fulham – along with Stoke City – are showing an interest in the Middlesbrough defender, Daniel Ayala, according to Teamtalk.
The website claims Middlesbrough are ready to cash in on their long-serving centre-back in January, knowing they will not be able to match the terms of his current contract, which expires next summer.
And it adds that Fulham look the most likely beneficiaries, but notes that the Leeds director of football, Victor Orta, is a fan of Ayala, with whom he worked at Boro.
Ayala was also in Sevilla’s youth system when Orta was starting out at the Spanish side.
The 29-year-old was signed by Liverpool in 2007 and remained in English football with Hull, Derby, Norwich and Nottingham Forest before joining Middlesbrough.
In his six years at Boro, Ayala has been promoted to the Premier League once and won PFA Team of the Year and Player of the Year awards.
Fulham have already signed one new centre-back, Michael Hector, ahead of the winter transfer period.
Meanwhile, Leeds have at times struggled for bodies in Ayala’s position, with Liam Cooper recently absent.
Middlesbrough are looking into a loan move for their former player Ben Gibson, should Ayala or Dael Fry depart in January, according to Teamtalk.
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