Middlesbrough will be interested in Ipswich Town keeper Christian Walton if they can’t sign Zack Steffen permanently, Football League World can reveal.

Will Middlesbrough sign Zack Steffen?

The USA international is currently on loan at Boro from Manchester City, and he has made 40 appearances this season to help the side to fourth in the table.

Like most of his teammates though, Steffen has improved under the guidance of Michael Carrick, and does seem suited to what the boss wants in terms of his ability to play out from the back.

However, with the 28-year-old only at the Riverside Stadium on a temporary basis, there are doubts about his future, even though Steffen has made it clear that he is open to leaving City in search of regular game time moving forward.

But, that still doesn’t mean Boro will win the race for the stopper, and FLW can confirm that they do have alternative plans in place, with the Teesside outfit admirers of Ipswich number one Christian Walton.

He has played an integral part in the Tractor Boys’ own promotion push this season, keeping 21 clean sheets in 43 appearances, as Kieran McKenna’s side sit second in the table with three games to go.

Of course, the dynamic could change in the coming weeks depending on whether the two clubs are successful in their quests to win promotion.

Walton is under contract at Portman Road until the summer of 2024, although the Suffolk side do have a one-year option in their favour to extend.

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Fourth Round - Brighton & Hove Albion v Blackpool - The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, Britain - January 23, 2021 Brighton & Hove Albion's Christian Walton Pool via REUTERS/Glyn Kirk

An interesting summer ahead

As mentioned, the only focus for both clubs will be on winning promotion, and that’s going to have a big impact on the future of Walton. If Ipswich remain in League One, there’s every chance he will push to leave, and, to be frank, you could understand why, because he is too good for that level.

Similarly, if Boro go up, would they still want Walton? If they did, the appeal of the Premier League would be obvious. So, there’s a critical few weeks ahead, but Walton will just be concentrating on getting over the line with Ipswich right now.

For Boro, it’s good to see they have plans in place if a deal can’t be agreed with Steffen, and Carrick knows the importance of getting a good keeper, so they need to be ready to act when the campaign does end next month.