Middlesbrough are keen to sign 19-year-old Dru Yearwood this summer, with Rotherham dropping out of the hunt for his signature.
The Northern Echo report that Boro have watched the talented midfielder for some time now and hope that this summer is the time they finally get to put their transfer plot into action.
Yearwood has been the subject of a bid by Rotherham United recently, but their offer of £200,000 was rejected leaving them to look elsewhere.
It’s known that Southend want more money for their young talent, something that wouldn’t be as much of a bother to Boro and their new manager Jonathan Woodgate as it might be to the recently-relegated Millers.
Yearwood is a combative, all-action central midfielder who earned a call up to the England 18 side this season. He missed the game due to injury, but his experience in the senior side has seen him develop quickly.
He’s started 45 League One matches for the Shrimpers, 21 of which came this season.
Our View
We really like Yearwood here at the Real EFL – he’s shown great maturity and composure despite his young age.
He did earn a red card this season, a slip before a committed tackle made a bad challenge look horrendous, but as a combative player he’ll always run the risk of such a decision.
Southend will struggle to hold on to him. If Boro had £400,000 and a chunky sell-on clause to offer, Kevin Bond’s side would find it hard to say no.
There is even a chance he could be loaned back, given his tender age and the fact he might be pushed to get into the Boro side.
