Jacob Butterfield is being tipped to follow Conor Coady through the dressing room doors at Town.
Hot on the heels of the 21-year-old former Liverpool midfielder, who was snapped up in an initial £375,000 deal by Mark Robins, it’s being reported Middlesbrough schemer Butterfield is now to have talks with John Smith’s Stadium officials.
It is not thought to be part of any swap deal involving Adam Clayton, who has seemed certain to join Boro for the last 48 hours after agreeing personal terms and undergoing a medical at the A19 Rockliffe training ground.
Town and Boro have apparently settled on a £1.5m fee for the 25-year-old former Leeds and Manchester City player, which could rise to over £2m with add-ons.
Robins has made it clear he’s keen to strengthen his options at PPG Canalside before Saturday’s Championship opener against AFC Bournemouth at the John Smith’s, and Butterfield could be the next addition to Coady, Lee Peltier, Joe Murphy and Radoslaw Majewski, who is a season-long loan from Nottingham Forest.
Butterfield, 24, is a former England Under 21 cap who flourished at Barnsley under Robins, so the Town boss knows him well.
A move to Norwich brought only Capital One Cup appearances and, after loans to Bolton Wanderers and Crystal Palace, he signed for Boro and then-boss Tony Mowbray in what is understood to be a £600,000 deal.
It’s been a frustrating year for him on Teesside, however, playing just 32 games and scoring three goals, and there remains uncertainty as to how he might slot into new boss Aitor Karanka’s system this season.
Opportunities will be limited further, of course, should Clayton complete a move north.
