Middlesbrough have been linked with Birmingham City forward Isaac Vassell in recent days as Tony Pulis looks to boost his attacking options.

The Birmingham Mail reported that the Championship high-fliers are keen on adding the 25-year-old to their ranks this month.

Vassell made his comeback from a long-term injury lay-off last Friday evening in his side’s 3-1 defeat to second-place Norwich City.

The striker had been out since October having sustained damage to knee ligaments but has since found his way back to the side having regained full fitness and proven such to manager Garry Monk.

Boro have been on the lookout for attacking reinforcements this window and Vassell could well be the man Pulis has earmarked to spark the Riverside club’s declining season into life.

Pulis may consider the fire-power that the forward could well bring to the club a bonus, but there are always drawbacks to risky transfers, this being one of them.

With that said, here are TWO reasons why Middlesbrough should steer clear of a move for Birmingham forward

What is his tolerance after knee ligament damage?

Che Adams just come back from a long-term knee injury, so will he be the same player as he was before?

When at Luton he was playing well and scoring regularly, but moving to Birmingham, he is yet to have a solid, solid run in the side.

Bereft with injury since moving to St Andrew's, you have to think will a major problem spring up out of nowhere once more and derail his career even more?

If I were Pulis I would steer clear of this transfer target and look elsewhere.

Goal scoring record

Middlesbrough need to score more goals and to do that they need to be more creative, and adding a player like Vassell is not what they need.

The 25-year-old managed has managed just one goal in the Championship since his move from Luton Town last year.

Having been a hotshot for the Hatters in the lower leagues, he hasn’t set the world alight in the second tier and is some way off being at the level of striker partner Che Adams.

If it’s creativity and goals Boro are after, then Birmingham's forward is far from the ideal candidate for that role.