Andrea Ranocchia (Bari :: Italian :: age 21) Bari impressive season so far much depended on their strong defense, leading the defense line Ranocchia is an attractive target for Inter, Juventus, Manchester and Arsenal, Andrea is an international player with Italy U-21 team. Leonardo Bonucci (Bari :: Italian :: age 22) Labeled with his teammate Ranocchia as the [.

Former Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura is in talks with Middlesbrough about a possible loan move to Teesside according to the Spanish media. Shunsuke Nakamura is well known by Gordon Strachan and with the inevitable departure of Adam Johnson to Manchester City, it looks like Strachan is wanting more creativity in the midfield and is hopeful of brining the Japanese international to the Riverside.

It appears as though progress is being made over the potential signing of Middlesbrough's Adam Johnson.
After Gordon Strachan poured water on a possible move yesterday, Sky Sports reported that Johnson himself was keen to speak to us over a move and today's MEN states a deal is 'edging' closer:

Manchester City are closing in on Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson to replace the departing Robinho.

Roberto Mancini bids to bring England Under 21 International to Eastlands and hopes to prevent another winger from leaving.

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File under 'are you sure about that.

Solid and unspectacular it may have been, but given some of the shambolic cup exits witnessed in recent years a routine FA Cup 3rd round win (against a bogey side) was very welcome.
It wasn't a performance that will live long in the memory, but it was a game that we controlled with the instruction to retain possession again very evident.

Happy New Year!

What have I missed? Have we signed 'the fat Ronaldo' yet?

It seems that the excitement of the New Year transition at the Riverside has somewhat gone flat amongst the sledging and snow-ball throwing.

Gordon Strachan's attempts at luring old pals from Scotland were short-lived as the bad weather intervened to scupper talks between officials at Middlesbrough and Celtic.

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- Teamalk "Stat of the Day" - QPR have not won an FA Cup match in their last 13 games in the competition (since 2001) a dismal run that is longer than any other side in the Football League.

By Chris Wright

This has got to be the quietest day, rumour-wise, of the window so far! Anywho here's the gossip round up...

Lucas plays 'the waiting game'

Rumour No. 1: Galatasaray have tabled an £800,000 bid for Lucas Neill despite the Australian full back having only joined Everton a few months ago.

Don't expect the Boro side to click over night after Gordon Strachan sealed the deals of three new players earlier this week.

We play one of the inform teams in the Coca Cola Championship tomorrow in their back yard so it will be a big ask for us to produce a performance without any creases.

Mark Yeates could soon be heading through the Middlesbrough exit door on his way to Sheffield as he enters talks with Sheff Utd over a proposed move, rumoured to be worth around £500,000.

Yeates who arrived at Boro in the pre-season for an undisclosed fee from Colchester has struggled to cement a place in the Boro first team and, since Strachan arrived, has seemingly fallen completely out of favour.

The Daily Mail and the Times both writes tonight that Wolves have made a massive bid of £6.5 million on Boro winger Adam Johnson. Paddytheflea has written lengthy about Johnson as a player and Wolves interest in him before (HERE) and my conclusion then was that Sunderland may very well be his final address.

Chelsea In For Johnson

Chelsea are one of a number of clubs tracking Middlesbrough star Adam Johnson. The only concrete offer thus far, however, has been from Wolves, but their £6.5m bid is significantly lower than Boro's £10m valuation. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: No matter how you shake it, £6.

Middlesbrough have apparently approached Queens Park Rangers about signing 25-year-old Wayne Routledge for a fee of £1 million but that figure looks unlikely to test the London club's resolve. Our Championship rivals are willing to do business at around the £2 million mark leaving Boro to decide whether that would be a good move considering the lack of funds at the Riverside.

By Chris Wright

Who could leave this kind of love behind?

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has reportedly targeted two more midfielders that he wishes to sign before the transfer window shuts One being West Ham's Valon Behrami, and the other being Middlesbrough's Adam Johnson.

Middlesbrough rescued a point at the Riverside courtesy of a fluke goal from new signing Willo Flood. Missing a plethora of first team players boro began brightly enough but Leroy Lita wasted a number of early chances, though some credit must go to Swans keeper De Vries for keeping the first one out.

According to Alan Nixon at The People, Chelsea are set to land Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson for £5million and then loan him back to the club for the rest of the season.

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Middlesbrough have had three players included in The Football League's team of the week following the 1-1 draw with Swansea at the Riverside.

Obviously you have to take into account the reduced Football League programme due to the FA Cup, a point strengthened when you see that 6 of the 11 players included were involved in the Boro v Swansea game.

Despite the interest surrounding Adam Johnson's future on Teesside at least, if we he does leave, we should be able to bargain for a very good price for the 22-year-old winger.

He scored two stunning goals last night which will only increase the temptation from Chelsea and Manchester City to sign him as they looked on at Doncaster Rovers last night.

Middlesbrough cruised past Doncaster last night courtesy of two fantastic Adam Johnson strikes, a first senior goal for Jonathan Franks and a Leroy Lita goal.

Boro began the game well but had to wait until the half hour mark to make a deserved breakthrough, a moment of magic from Adam Johnson as he stode toward goal and unleashed a left foot drive into the top corner.

Manchester City will attempt to get over their Carling Cup disappointment by signing England Under-21 star Adam Johnson from Middlesbrough.
It is understood the Blues have lodged a bid for Johnson and they hope to conclude a deal before the end of the transfer window.
Johnson scored twice for Boro in their victory over Doncaster on Tuesday night but has been touted for a move away from the Riverside since the Teessiders were relegated last season.

Manchester City are desperate to add a left-sided winger to their ever increasing squad after they were tormented by Ryan Giggs last night in their League Cup Semi-Final defeat to Manchester United.

Roberto Mancini will try and lure Johnson to the City of Manchester Stadium to ease the disappointment of last night's cup exit, but the big question is: Will AJ move to Manchester City to sit on the bench?

By Chris Wright

Rumours, like the corners of my mind. Here's the round up...

Rumour No. 1:Manchester City have seen their latest bid for Middlesbrough winglet (winger + starlet) Adam Johnson turned down as the England U21 man has apparently vowed to stay at 'Boro and help get them back into the Premier League.

Further to the reported bid for Adam Johnson, it has also been suggested that a deal for rumoured target Marcelo Motta could be imminent according to Sky Sports:

Roma and Udinese co-own Motta, but the Italian duo are willing to send him to England on loan as he does not figure in their plans this season.

Sky Sports are having a busy old day, and there is yet another transfer story involving ourselves, and like the Adam Johnson one, it is not necessarily positive news:

And with Real having failed to secure cover in midfield, one of the player's two agents, Marcelo Lombilla, is meeting with Real director general Jorge Valdano to try and resolve the situation.

Although reports last night appeared to be confident in seeing us land Adam Johnson, the suggestion today is that it may not be so cut and dried.
Sky Sports are quoting Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan as having dismissed all bids outright for him:

"We have had verbal offers in the last week for Adam, but nothing has changed," said Strachan.

Adam Johnson wants to talk to Manchester City to see what they can offer him in terms of football. The 22-year-old is likely to sign for Roberto Mancini's side if he is guaranteed first-team football from now until the end of the season meaning Gordon Strachan will have to work fast in securing more signings to strengthen the squad before the transfer window is shut.

According to Ben Collins at Sky Sports News, Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is interested in Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson. Mancini said,

"He is a good, young player but we have respect for him and the club .