According to Le10sport, reported Derby County and Stoke City target Harold Moukoudi will be available to buy this summer for around a £4 million fee.
The St Etienne defender joined Middlesbrough on loan late in January.
But that wasn’t before a host of Championship clubs were cited with an interest in him.
Fellow French reports from Le Parisien claim both Derby County and Stoke City saw loan bids rejected for him. St Etienne boss Claude Puel wasn’t keen on him leaving.
The Cameroon international, however, ended up joining Boro on deadline day.
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Le10sport now claim the French club hopes he succeeds on Teesside as they are keen for an English club to sign the 22-year-old defender in the summer.
Moukoudi has started both of Middlesbrough’s matches since moving the Riverside Stadium. They conceded five goals in back-to-back away games.
Derby were keen on signing a central defender in January. Their recent defensive form, conceding ten goals in their last five games, shows a clear weakness at the back.
But the Rams missed out on strengthening their squad. Instead, Groningen captain Mike te Wierik will move to Pride Park on a free transfer this coming summer.
Stoke, meanwhile, are still in danger of relegation. Their latest 2-0 home defeat to Preston North End leaves the Potters just four points above the bottom three.
Moukoudi, standing at 6ft 3inch, has the ideal platform to push for a permanent move.
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