Middlesbrough will have to win promotion to the Premier League if they are to be able to afford a return to The Riverside Stadium for on loan midfielder Mo Besic, it has been claimed.

The midfielder has made 33 appearances and scored twice for 'Boro a season long loan from Premier League side Everton, but the Merseyside club's reported £9million valuation of the Bosnian could price the Teesiders out of a move.

According to The Northern Echo, recruitment plans are being made for next season, but how much the club will be able to invest depends on the division they play in next season.

Tony Pulis' side currently sit a outside the play-offs with four games of their season left to play - although the side directly above them, Bristol City, do have a game in hand. Back-to-back wins over Bolton and Hull ended a run of six straight defeats to renew 'Boro's hopes of a top six spot.

The verdict

There can be no doubt that 'Boro will be keen to bring Besic back to the Riverside next season, but this will be a hugely frustrating situation for them.

Even if they hadn't had that six game losing run, a place in the play-offs would be no guarantee of Premier League football, so this is a situation that was always going to run and run, but it would at least have given them more of an idea of what their chances would be.

Now they are sat waiting on results elsewhere and other team's games in hand before they can start to put their plans fully together.