Hugill poised for Boro bow

Posted Friday, August 10, 2018 by PA

Jordan Hugill could be handed a debut for home-town club Middlesbrough in Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship clash with Birmingham.

The 26-year-old striker completed a season-long loan move from West Ham to the Riverside Stadium earlier this week as manager Tony Pulis continued to reshape his squad.

Winger Adama Traore has departed in a big-money move to Wolves with Boro still working on a loan deal to bring Everton midfielder Muhamed Besic – they are also maintaining an interest in his team-mate Yannick Bolasie – back to Teesside after failing to secure a permanent transfer on deadline day.

Pulis, who saw his side beat Sheffield United 3-0 on Tuesday evening after staging a rousing fightback to draw 2-2 at Millwall three days earlier, will still be without injured duo Daniel Ayala and Rudy Gestede.

Birmingham boss Garry Monk could have Craig and Gary Gardner among his ranks for the trip north.

Midfielder Gary, who spent last season on loan at Barnsley, completed a season-long loan move from Aston Villa on Thursday to join up with his older brother and help plug the gap left by David Davis’ long-term ankle injury.

Gardner joins fellow new recruits Lee Camp, who has signed a two-year deal after leaving Cardiff, and loan additions Connor Mahoney and Omar Bogle in the squad.

City head for the Riverside having emerged from their opening-day encounter with Norwich with just a point despite twice taking the lead.