Opinion: Why Middlesbrough would be right to pursue 14-cap international

Championship side Middlesbrough are on the verge of recruiting Sheffield United forward David McGoldrick, according to a report from The Sun.

The Irishman is confirmed to be leaving the Blades on the expiration of his contract along with fellow forward Lys Mousset, with manager Paul Heckingbottom seemingly keen on freshening up his forward area at Bramall Lane with other options already available to him.

This has allowed Boro to march in and secure an agreement for his services – and looks set to come in as part of a rebuild in the striker department at the Riverside Stadium this summer.

This rebuild is nothing short of a requirement after Chris Wilder’s side saw Andraz Sporar, Aaron Connolly and Folarin Balogun all return to their parent clubs last month following the end of their loan spells on Teesside.

Unfortunately, Connolly and Balogun failed to deliver on a consistent basis despite the hype surrounding their arrivals, especially the latter who has been backed to become a key figure in Arsenal’s first-team squad in the coming years. With McGoldrick only recording two goals last term, many Boro supporters may want to see a more prolific forward come in.

However, the experienced forward’s 2020/21 campaign should not be discounted, scoring a respectable eight times in the Premier League as one of the only strikers that stepped up to the plate for the Blades during that torrid term.

Also recording four assists in 19 second-tier appearances last term, he can still be a key contributor in the final third and as an experienced option, he could help to guide a player like Connolly and Balogun if another young striker arrives at the Riverside between now and the end of the window.

You just feel the duo were missing an