Neil Warnock wants to take Wales' record cap holder Chris Gunter to Middlesbrough after failing to land him at Cardiff City, according to reports.
The former Bluebirds manager was on Tuesday announced as the new Boro boss, tasked with keeping them in the Championship this season.
With just eight games to go and Boro teetering on the edge of the drop zone, he has a job on his hands to keep the Teessiders afloat this term.
But when the summer transfer window opens, Warnock will likely get to work on rebuilding that squad and The Sun claim the manager wants Welshman Gunter to become his first signing.
Gunter has penned a short-term contract extension until the end of the current campaign but it is thought he will then be released by the Royals.
We have seen Warnock work wonders with free transfers before - see Sol Bamba, Junior Hoilett and Neil Etheridge at Cardiff City - and recruiting the Reading right back would appear to be a shrewd move.
The Athletic even claim Warnock wanted to bring Gunter back to the Welsh capital when he was in charge at Cardiff City, where the player rose through the academy system and broke into the first team before being snapped up by Tottenham in 2008.
Recently, however, the former Spurs and Nottingham Forest defender has endured a frustrating time of it at Readng, having been consigned to the under-23s for much of the first half of this season.
He was brought back into the fray, though, when compatriot Mark Bowen took the reins and enjoyed more game time at the Madejski Stadium towards the end of the campaign.
However, it looks as though his eight years in Berkshire will come to an end this summer and it is Warnock who is tipped to acquire his services up at the Riverside Stadium.
It is reported that Warnock believes Boro lack leadership and experience and the addition of Gunter would be seen as a move to bolster the defence in both aspects.
Birmingham City are also reportedly interested in landing the 96-cap Wales international.
