Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis has admitted that the club will not be able to fight off a big bid for their star winger Adama Traore this summer, reports The Gazette. 

But Pulis also says that they are yet to come close to agreeing a deal with another club for the transfer of the Spaniard.

The former West Brom and Stoke City manager was quick to praise the attitude of his winger during this spell of heightened interest.

"We can’t fight it off [a bid], if it’s gonna happen it’s gonna happen," Pulis told the Gazette after Rovers' preseason friendly against Accrington Stanley.

"He’s a terrific lad and someone who I’ve got the time for and a lot of respect for. I think you’ve seen him today work his socks off, gets stuck in, score – there’s nothing clouding his mind at the moment his attitude was first class again."

Boro have so far made two summer signings in the form of Sunderland defender and midfielder Paddy McNair and Bristol City centre-back Aden Flint.

Three players have also left the club in the shape of left-back Fabio, right-back Antonio Barragan and goalkeeper Tomas Mejias.

The verdict 

With Pulis speaking like Traore's departure is an inevitability, the fans will be hoping that this means that a replacement is already in the pipeline for if and when the deal goes through.

The last thing they will want is for Traore to be poached on deadline day or the day before and that sort of poor planning can make or break a season.