TONY Mowbray isn't sure if Marvin Emnes will stick around to spearhead Middlesbrough's charge towards the Premier League. Emnes came off the bench to hit an injury time equaliser for Boro at the weekend against Blackpool; but his muted celebrations suggested the striker wasn't content on Teesside. The former Dutch under-21 international scored 18 goals for the Teessiders two seasons ago, but he hasn't found his goal scoring touch since then. Tony Mowbray knows that a fit and firing Emnes could be a lethal weapon in the Championship, however his inconsistencies in form have left the Boro manager considering selling, if an adequate offer were to come in for him. The Boro boss wants is working hard on bringing other attacking options in the entrance at the Riverside and maintains he wants the 25-year-old to stick around and be an integral part of his plans.
Tony Mowbray said:
"If Marvin stays he can definitely help us, he is the type of footballer we like. He is comfortable with the ball at his feet. He can strike a ball, he can score a goal. "Let's see what the next few weeks brings. From my perspective we are just trying to help (Lukas) Jutkiewicz, Emnes; to give them some more options. "I like Marvin Emnes, I have always liked Marvin Emnes. When I first arrived here he was on loan at Swansea City and I brought him back as soon as I could and here burst onto the scene. "He has had a career at our club that has been high and then low, high and then low. Marvin Emnes has the talent to be a top player, particularly in this league."
Although Tony Mowbray has conceded that Marvin Emnes future may be away from The Riverside, he still wants to find more attacking options, somewhere he admits Boro are thin on numbers. Reports over the last couple of weeks have linked Middlesbrough with
Ross McCormack from Leeds and
Malmo's South African striker Tokelo Rantie. However Mowbray refused to be drawn on his transfer targets, but admitted that deals for some players could be imminent on Teesside. The Boro gaffer added:
"We are pretty far down the line with one or two players, but they're never in until they're in, signed, the ink is dry on the contract and the medical is done. "The positive for me is that the chairman understands that the team needs attacking options. He has been in football for a long time, he is working very hard behind the scenes with the chief executive. "We all want to add a bit of attacking quality at the top end of the field that will hopefully see us win the tight football matches.
Mowbray only has till September 2nd to add any long term attacking talent to his thin Boro frontline. Otherwise he will have to wait until the loan window opens later in September to bring in short term loanees.