The respective Middlesbrough and Charlton Athletic managers, Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer, remain close friends after playing together at two different clubs.
The new Middlesbrough manager, Jonathan Woodgate, wants to prise Anfernee Dijksteel away from his friend and former teammate, Lee Bowyer, according to The Sun.
Dijksteel played 30 times as Bowyer’s Charlton side secured promotion via the League One play-offs last season.
But despite performing a U-turn to sign a new contract earlier this week, Bowyer has had little chance to celebrate, having seen Patrick Bauer – the defender who scored Charlton’s winner at Wembley – join Preston North End for nothing, while Joe Aribo – the promising Addicks midfielder – is expected to follow the German out of The Valley at the end of his deal.
Dijksteel is at least under contract for another 12 months, although the recent upheaval at Charlton could make Middlesbrough an especially tempting proposition.
Unlike the Addicks, Boro are expected to compete again at the Championship’s top end, having narrowly missed out on the play-offs last season.
And Dijksteel, who joined Charlton from the Nike Academy in early 2016, could be a useful long-term addition for Middlesbrough.
The 22-year-old Dutchman has spent most of his career to date deployed as a right-back, but can also operate on the opposite side as well as at centre-half.
Could Dijksteel join the Charlton exodus and head to Middlesbrough this summer?
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