Middlesbrough are stepping up their pursuit of a defender.

Reports have claimed that the Teessiders are plotting a move to sign Ben Gibson on a loan deal until the end of the season.

The former Boro skipper has played just eight times for Burnley since moving to Turf Moor 18 months ago, leading to speculation about his future.

However after the Clarets rejected a loan approach from Middlesbrough, Jonathan Woodgate's side have been forced to look elsewhere.

The Northern Echo have claimed that Jack Simpson is the latest name on the list of targets.

The Bournemouth defender is struggling for first team football on the South Coast and it's thought that Eddie Howe would be open to allowing him to head out on loan to get regular gametime.

The report claims that Gibson is still the number one target for Middlesbrough, but this is certainly a sign that the Teessiders won't be putting all of their eggs in one basket.

What are these 13 ex-Middlesbrough players doing now? Find out here!

 

The verdict It could be an interesting seven days for Middlesbrough. The Teessiders are determined to add a defender to their ranks as they look to overcome the plethora of injuries sustained in recent months. There's no doubt that Ben Gibson would be the top choice of most supporters, but it's worth noting that Jack Simpson is a good player who would no doubt add to Jonathan Woodgate's squad. Either option would be good for Middlesbrough, so now it's just a case of getting a deal over the line.