St Etienne are hopeful that Middlesbrough will make an offer to sign defender Harold Moukoudi on a permanent basis in the summer transfer window, a report from French outlet Le10 Sport has claimed.

Moukoudi joined 'Boro on loan from the Ligue 1 until the end of the season on the final day of the January transfer window, and has since gone on to make back to back starts for Middlesbrough, netting an own goal to hand Wigan a point in a 2-2 draw between the two sides on Tuesday night.

Despite that, Moukoudi does appear to have made a good first impression at the Riverside Stadium, and it seems St Etienne are hoping to benefit from that.

According to the latest reports, the centre back is expected to leave St Etienne in the summer, and the Les Verts are said to be hoping that 'Boro will give Moukoudi the chance to make that permanent departure, by making an offer to sign the 22-year-old on a permanent basis in the next few months.

Moukoudi only joined St Etienne from second-tier outfit Le Havre during the most recent summer transfer window, and made a total of 16 appearances in all competitions for Les Verts in the first half of the season.

The defender signed a four-year contract with the club in the summer, securing his future at the ten-times French Champions until the end of the 2022/23 season.

The Verdict

This is something that should certainly catch the attention of Middlesbrough.

Moukoudi has certainly impressed during his first couple of appearances for Jonathan Woodgate's side, so you feel that at the minute there is no reason they would not want to extend his deal beyond the end of the season.

Add to that the fact that St Etienne appear keen to let the defender go, and it seems Moukoudi could be available at a reduced price in the summer in order to make this deal happen, which should make it attractive from a financial perspective as well for the Championship side.

It is slightly surprising that St Etienne are willing to cut their losses on Moukoudi so soon after signing him, although that ought to be of little concern to 'Boro if they can profit from it from a football perspective.