Middlesbrough will be hoping to sign a new defender before the end of the transfer window.

Reports have claimed that the Teessiders are plotting a move to sign Ben Gibson on a loan deal until the end of the season.

The former Boro  skipper has played just eight times for Burnley since moving to Turf Moor 18 months ago, leading to speculation about his future.

However after the Clarets rejected a loan approach from Middlesbrough, Jonathan Woodgate's side have been forced to look elsewhere.

One key target has emerged in recent days and that's Filip Benkovic.

The Daily Mail has claimed that the Leicester City defender could be set to join Jonathan Woodgate's side on a loan deal until the end of the season.

However the report states that a deal will only be done of the Foxes can sign a centre back of their own before the end of the week.

Benkovic moved to Leicester from Dinamo Zagreb in 2018 for a fee of £13million but is yet to make a top flight appearance for the club.

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The verdict

Middlesbrough will be determined to get a defender in before the end of the transfer window.

Injuries to the likes of Anfernee Dijksteel, Daniel Ayala, Ryan Shotton and George Friend have left the Teessiders short of options at the back with Paddy McNair and Jonny Howson drafted in as makeshift centre-backs.

While Shotton and Friend are on the way back to fitness it seems that Woodgate doesn't want to risk throwing them in too early and so will be looking at short-term replacements.

Whether Benkovic is the man remains to be seen, but Boro will certainly be hoping to get something resolved.