Middlesbrough Transfer News: Albert Adomah Due For Medical, Further Additions To Come?
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BORO supremo Tony Mowbray is hoping to conclude deals for Bristol City winger Albert Adomah and another defender, in time for his side's curtain raiser at home to Leicester this Saturday.
The Teessiders are reported to have had a seven figure sum accepted by recently relegated City, and Adomah is due to meet with Middlesbrough officials for talks and a medical. Bristol City had already fended off interest from Wigan Athletic, but the 25-year-old Ghanian winger has told his employers he wants to leave to play Championship football once again; in order to ensure a seat on the Ghanian plane to Brazil for the World Cup. Versatile defender Frazer Richardson has also been training with the Middlesbrough first team squad and looks to be finalising a short term contract. Tony Mowbray is under no illusions that his squad is looking rather thin, and needs additions like Adomah and Richardson to join Joszef Varga and Dean Whitehead in the entrance at Boro. Speaking at this morning's pre-match press conference which WhatCulture.com attended, Mowbray said;"I'm hoping over the next week or two we are going to invest in some quality to take the football club where we want it to go," "We took some tough decisions this summer to let some players go, that some of the supporters might have liked, and can't understand why. We had to create some headroom or we were just going to plod on with the same group. "Sometimes you have to change things around, you have to create a financial hole in the team that you can fill, which is what we have done."With eleven senior players leaving at the end of last term, including now Millwall striker Scott McDonald, who was reportedly earning £30,000-a-week, has given Mowbray the opportunity to consider paying transfer fees for his targets. Boro are now in a position to bid for players in the transfer market, rather than the policy of the last three seasons where loans and free transfers were the only source for Mowbray to look at. Mowbray has been frustrated with the lack of comings in this summer transfer window, with deals for Eduardo Vargas from Napoli and Pacos de Ferriera playmaker Vitor falling through in the latter stages of talks.
"You can only work with a certain amount of money, but weve got a bit of head room now and were trying to do good deals for value-for-money footballers who can make a real impact on the league," explained Mowbray. "Somewhere along the line you have got to spend money on the key areas of the field, that affect both boxes. "We are at the point, almost a low point of where we are going to be but when we strengthen I bet the odds will change; but odds don't make any difference. What matters is out on the grass."Mowbray was unsure if there were to be any further departures in this window, hinting Belgian midfielder Faris Haroun is unhappy with being on the fringes of the first team. Haroun is not expected to start this Saturday and has only been used as a bit-part player over the pre-season. Mowbray said:
He wants to play every week, and when if I cant get him in the team every week, he has a frustration at times. Hes managed it well through pre-season and I thought he was excellent when he came on against Bordeaux. Faris is under contract and he will be utilised until he decides hes had enough or we get a bid that suits him and us. You dont want to keep unhappy players here. If he wants to play every week and I cant guarantee him that, then Ive got no problem with players moving on. "But at the moment hes working hard in training and well see how he contributes as we move forward.Middlesbrough entertain last year's beaten play-off semi finalists Leicester at The Riverside this Saturday. Seb Hines the only injury doubt for the hosts.