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Middlesbrough closing in on loan deals for Kelechi Iheanacho and Samuel Iling-Junior

Kelechi Iheanacho and Samuel Iling-Junior are both set to join Middlesbrough on loan
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Middlesbrough are close to signing Samuel Iling-Junior on loan from Aston Villa, with striker Kelechi Iheanacho also likely to sign from Sevilla.

Boro are working to conclude loan deals for both attacking players ahead of Monday evening's transfer deadline as they expect to lose Emmanuel Latte Lath to Atlanta United after agreeing a club-record fee for the striker. Both Iling-Junior and Iheanacho are expected on Teesside on Sunday.

Iling-Junior is currently on loan in Serie A with Bologna, having joined Aston Villa in the summer from Juventus. The 21-year-old was a regular for the Italian giants last term but was used in a deal in the summer to allow Douglas Luiz to move in the opposite direction. However, his loan at Bologna has not worked out, with no league starts this season and only 16 appearances in all competitions. That said, he scored earlier this month in their Champions League win over Dortmund.

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Though he was on the bench for Bologna's 2-0 victory over Como on Saturday evening, that loan is set to be terminated as Villa look to get the forward regular football in the second half of the season. A versatile forward, he can play on both wings and even played at wing-back and attacking midfield during his time in Juventus' academy, having moved to Italy in 2020 from Chelsea.

Iling-Junior adds further attacking might to Michael Carrick's options, with Morgan Whittaker already joining this month. Isaiah Jones left for Luton Town and Riley McGree has been struggling with injuries all season. Alex Gilbert has interest in his services and could leave before Monday's deadline.

Iheanacho, meanwhile, appears to be Boro's replacement for Latte Lath. The striker knows the Championship well having scored five goals in helping Leicester City to promotion last term. Prior to that, he made 150 Premier League appearances for the Foxes, scoring 30 goals.

He moved to Spanish side Sevilla in the summer but has struggled in La Liga, making only five starts and failing to score a goal. Sevilla are believed to be open to allowing the Nigerian international to leave, with Boro hoping to finalise the loan deal to ensure Tommy Conway - back in training this week after an injury - has competition for the rest of the season.

As well as the forwards, Boro continue to assess options in other areas of the pitch and potential availability in the market to strengthen their squad further. There is interest in Anfernee Dijksteel and Dan Barlaser who Boro would be open to allowing to leave, but only if they could secure replacements first.

It's now worth noting that Iling-Junior and Iheanacho loan deals will take Boro up to five this season. Clubs are permitted to have as many loan players as they want registered, but they can only name a maximum of five in each individual match-day squad, meaning any further loan additions would leave Carrick with a decision to make each game on who to leave out of the squad altogether. This was why the club pushed to turn George Edmundson's loan into a permanent deal this month.