Middlesbrough were just one of several sides interested in negotiating a loan deal for Newcastle United midfielder Elliot Anderson earlier this year, according to a report from TEAMtalk back in April.
The 19-year-old has captured the attention of multiple second-tier clubs following his impressive record at Bristol Rovers, joining Joey Barton's men in January for the remainder of the 2021/22 campaign and recording eight goals and five assists in 21 league appearances.
It was his goalscoring contributions that helped the Gas to get back to League One at the first time of asking - and Boro will be hoping someone from midfield can make a similar impact for them this term.
Unfortunately for them, that won't be Marcus Tavernier following his move to AFC Bournemouth, though they do have Riley McGree as an option as well as Matt Crooks, with the latter's frame making him a real attacking threat.
However, their contributions may not be sufficient in their quest for promotion, especially considering the current state of their forward department with the likes of Marcus Forss and future additions in this area needing time to adapt to life at the Riverside.
There are also no guarantees that those signings will be a success and this will be particularly concerning for Boro supporters who saw Aaron Connolly and Folarin Balogun fail to contribute enough during 2021/22 after joining on loan deals in the winter.
With this uncertainty and Tavernier's departure, they are in desperate need of a midfielder who can contribute heavily in the final third and Newcastle's Anderson has already shown he can do that, albeit in League Two.
He could easily make a similar impact in the second tier though, although Eddie Howe has recently stated that the youngster will be remaining at St James' Park for the time being despite not being likely to be one of the first names on the teamsheet this season.
The teenager was an unused substitute against Nottingham Forest and considering he isn't a key first-teamer just yet, this window may be Boro's final opportunity to recruit him on loan before he becomes a regular for the Magpies.
With Tavernier and Djed Spence's sales, they may have the funds to submit an attractive proposal to the Tyneside outfit and though they shouldn't spend too much on a loan deal, they should be looking to add someone like Anderson who could make a major impact.
This is a deal that could potentially become a reality - because Newcastle are currently wary of financial fair play (FFP) and those restrictions may disrupt their quest to conclude deals for more players during the summer window.
A small financial boost through Anderson's potential loan exit could allow them to bid a bit more for a player and also ensure they remain within the limits, so Chris Wilder's side should be looking to launch a tempting loan offer.