David Wheater transfer 'to be considered by Liverpool in January'

[King Binny]

Probably a load of rubbish. 😱

Middlesbrough are prepared to sell defender David Wheater in the upcoming transfer window, with Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson said to be considering a bid.

Boro have previously resisted selling the youth academy product - even when they were relegated from the Premier League last year.

But with the team struggling at the foot of the Championship and showing no signs of a recovery, chairman Steve Gibson is now prepared to cash in on the £8million-rated centre back.

Reds manager Hodgson has been tracking Wheater since Boro dropped down to the second tier and is known to have made a bid for the versatile stopper last summer while at Fulham.

And the Anfield supremo believes the 23-year-old can, in time, grow into one of England's best defenders.

In the short term, Wheater could fill in as a right-back - a position he is well accustomed to - if reports of Glen Johnson falling out with Hodgson are true.

It has been reported in the tabloid press that Johnson will demand a move away from the club in January after his manager openly criticised his performances last week.

A number of other clubs are also likely to bid for Wheater, with Stoke City, West Ham and Everton all said to be interested.

 

[spider-Neil]

if I were johnson (I'd cut my hair 😉 ) and I would also dig in my heels safe in the knowledge that all I had to do is survive till the summer and get the new manager to give a fresh start.

 

[mark1975]

Johnson will be ok because he's a good 'player', we're quite healthy at right back so I'm guessing Wheater would be more earmarked for centre back, with the ability to cover right back when needed.

It just seems like lazy journalism anyway on the back of the recent Johnson story and the fact Wheater was linked alot during the Summer.

 

[keniget]

Wheater is a central defender. We have a pretty decent one doing a job at RB already.

What a rubbish link.

 

[King Binny]

Haven't seen him ever since Boro were relegated but sounds like a younger version of Kyrgiakos.

Mowbray said: “It is such a crucial part of the pitch to help the team progress. It is very positive to have two young players who compliment one another at this time,†he said.

“David Wheater and Matt Bates have outstanding qualities as individuals. It felt as if they had 100 corners the other night (against Scunthorpe), but Wheater got everything.

“Teams need that. If there was a day when Wheater wasn’t here, you need a player who can dominate like that. You can lose games to set plays to any team in the world.

“You need a player like David, he can head balls out of the box. Matthew has a fantastic spring as well. They do a job. The combination is good but they have to find consistency because the competition is good.â€

 

[Hansern]

He's shite. And there is a reason why he hasn't moved since Boro was relegated.

 

[LadyRed]

Great, linked to more crap players

 

[Insignificance]

Well, at least Torres will be tempted to stay if we can tell him he will be in the same team as David Weather..... You know, he can head the ball and stuff.

 

[StevieM]

Seriously... I sure the senile old duffer still thinks he's at Fulham... probably likers the new red away strip, but winders why all the away grounds look like Anfield.

In case... somone should prod the old fucker and tell him there's a decent young CB playing at Hull worth a look. Should be able to pick him up in January quite cheaply....

 

[King Binny]

You know January's approaching when you see things like this.

MIDDLESBROUGH are bracing themselves for a host of Premier League clubs to begin a January bidding war for David Wheater.

The 23-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season, when he could leave the Riverside for free.

Talks over a new deal have failed to materialise, and Boro are prepared to listen to offers for the ‘Redcar Rock’ during the transfer window, rather than see him exit for nothing – spare a possible but potentially derisory compensation fee.

Teessiders boss Tony Mowbray has revealed he must raise funds before he can spend, and Wheater is not short of admirers.

John Terry and Rio Ferdinand’s recent injury problems mean Chelsea and Manchester United could be interested, moneybags Manchester City will figure, along with newly-flush Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Everton – while Tyne-Tees rivals Newcastle United could enter the fray with a cheeky approach themselves.

“I don’t wish to lose any of my players,†Mowbray said.

“But I’m not going to sit here and say, ‘We won’t do this’ or ‘We won’t do that’. It’s a business and we will have to wait and see what happens. I think there are envious eyes watching him.

“Our wish is that David signs a long-term contract and stays here. The reality, though, is that when you are in the position we are in, biger fish can come along and court him.â€

 

[Squiggles]

He'll be a good buy for someone, but is he good enough to dislodge either Skrtel, the Greek, or Agger? *Lots of doubts*