Middlesbrough join Birmingham and Peterborough in transfer hunt for Hull City player

Middlesbrough are the latest team to show an interest in signing Hull City forward Mallik Wilks this summer, according to the BBC’s David Burns.

Burns has even claimed that Boro tried to bring Wilks to the Riverside back in the January transfer window, but for one reason or another a move failed to materialise.

They potentially look set to go and challenge for the 23-year-old again in the coming months though, with Birmingham City reported to be also interested in the ex-Leeds United man, as well as Peterborough United, who are now managed by former Tigers boss Grant McCann.

Wilks was in fine form for Hull in League One last season under McCann’s tutelage, scoring 19 goals and also helping out with eight assists in 44 appearances.

He featured 19 times in the Championship in the first half of the campaign – scoring three times – until he suffered a foot injury, ruling him out for two months.

Having only featured once briefly under new manager Shota Arveladze at the end of February against Peterborough, Wilks has since not made a matchday squad and despite City having an optional one-year extension on his contract, it looks unlikely to be taken up at this stage.

The Verdict

Wilks looked to be coping with the Championship just fine in the first half of the season – obviously not as well as League One but for the most part the Tigers were struggling as a unit.

However in recent weeks, Arveladze has stated that he hasn’t felt like the forward has been fit enough to feature the absence now has been prolonged to a point where there may be another issue.

It says something about the abilities that Wilks has though that Middlesbrough are said to be keen on his services – perhaps Chris Wilder believes he can get the best out of his