Middlesbrough have reportedly joined Everton in pursuit of Grimsby Town defender Joe Hope.

The 17-year-old is a second-year scholar at the League Two club and is an athletic left-back who is strong in possession.

The defender was part of the Sunderland academy before joining Grimsby at the start of last season.

Hope has not made a senior appearance for the Mariners but was named in the squad for their Carabao Cup first-round win over Doncaster Rovers in August.

It appears the teenager has caught the attention of teams higher up the football league, as, according to The Sun on Sunday (20/10; page 65), Boro are monitoring the progress of Hope.

However, it appears Jonathan Woodgate's side may face some competition for the 17-year-old, who is understood to be one of the brightest prospects in the Grimsby youth team, as the report claims Everton are also considering a move for the left-back.

Boro appear to be focusing on youth recruitment at the moment as it was reported they were also looking at signing 19-year-old winger Deabeas Owusu-Sekyere.

The Verdict

This is an interesting one. It's difficult to judge how good of a signing Hope would be, given that he is a 17-year-old who has never featured for Grimsby, but it appears both Everton and Boro have spotted something that interests them.

It will be difficult to compete with the Premier League side for his signature but Woodgate may be able to indicate that Hope stands a better chance of first-team football at the Riverside than he does with the Toffees.

This doesn't seem like a move that will impact Boro's chances this season and if the club's on-field fortunes don't change soon, Hope may be making a decision between a top-flight and a League One club.