Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder has wasted no time when it comes to his recruitment this month as he has already managed to bolster his squad.
The Boro boss opted to swoop for Brighton & Hove Albion forward Aaron Connolly who joined the club on a temporary basis until the end of the season last weekend.
Wilder will be looking to back up this particular move by securing the services of some more fresh faces between now and the end of the month.
However, whilst Middlesbrough are currently focusing on potential incomings, they may need to address the future of one of their key players in the coming weeks.
According to a report from the Daily Mail, Newcastle United are believed to be keeping tabs on Marcus Tavernier ahead of a possible swoop this month.
It is understood that the 22-year-old is one of a host of players who are on the Premier League side's shortlist.
Now under new ownership, Newcastle may opt to spend a considerable amount of money in January as they look to achieve survival in the top-flight.
If the Magpies are indeed weighing up a move for Tavernier, Middlesbrough must hold firm if a bid is submitted for the midfielder.
A regular member of the club's starting eleven this season, Tavernier has featured in all but two of the club's league games.
As well as lining up on the left and the right-hand side of midfield, Tavernier has produced some encouraging performance in a central role in recent months.
Currently averaging a WhoScored match rating (6.85) which has only been bettered by four of his team-mates in the Championship during the current term, the midfielder will now be determined to help Boro push on at this level.
When you consider that Middlesbrough are only one point adrift of the play-off places, they unquestionably have a great chance of challenging for promotion under the guidance of Wilder.
However, their hopes of securing a return to the Premier League later this year could be derailed by Tavernier's exit as there is no guarantee that they will be able to draft in a sufficient replacement between now and the end of the transfer window.
Although Boro could potentially secure a sizeable fee for Tavernier due to the fact that his current deal is set to run until 2023, letting him leave at this stage of the season would surely be too big of a risk to take.