Middlesbrough are poised to join the chase for in-demand UCD and Ireland Under-21 star Neil Farrugia.
Farrugia - who had to pull out of the Toulon Tournament squad with an injury - continues to attract interest from a host of clubs here and across the water.
The winger is wanted by Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers - who clash at Dalymount Park tonight - while champions Dundalk are keeping tabs.
Farrugia and his UCD and Ireland team-mate Liam Scales had trials with Manchester City’s Under-23s, while Preston North End also enquired about Farrugia.
But Mirror Sport understands that Middlesbrough are now weighing up a possible swoop for the highly-regarded 20-year-old who turned down QPR in the past.
Boro are about to appoint Jonathan Woodgate as their new manager and Ireland assistant Robbie Keane looks set to join him as No 2.
Bohemians want to sign a wide player in this transfer window and hope to land Farrugia on a short-term contract, after which he could move to England.
The Gypsies struck a similar deal with Ali Rhegba when he re-signed for the club at the start of this season, before completing a switch to Leicester City next month.
Quizzed on Farrugia yesterday, Bohs boss Keith Long refused to deny interest in the College ace.
“There are rumours and that’s part and parcel of it,” he said. “We’re being linked with certain players but I can’t really give you too much on that.
“We have potential targets but it’s very variable at the moment. We don’t know what we might be able to get in or who might want to leave.
“It would be unfair for me to comment on players attached to other clubs but we know the areas in which we need to improve and hopefully we’ll be able to do that.”
Long added: “If the right player became available, I’m sure I’d get the support of the club and the board to try and get that player in.”
“The club has slowly and steadily got its s*** together. We’re in a good place at the moment, but we won’t be reckless in anything we do.”
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