Championship news: Middlesbrough boss coy on Chuba Akpom future as Birmingham City man makes transfer plea

Here, we take a look at all the latest transfer gossip from around the Championship:

Michael Carrick on Chuba Akpom future

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick has put any talk of a contract extension for Championship top-scorer Chuba Akpom on the backburner as Boro concentrate on their upcoming play-off campaign. Akpom has scored 28 goals this season, but Carrick wants all focus on his side’s clash with Coventry City on Monday before they enter the play-offs.

Carrick told Teesside Live: “I don’t want to get into that at this time of year with any player really. We’re nearly there, in terms of the season ending. There isn’t much to say that I haven’t already said on Chuba.

"I think he’s done fantastic, and I think he’s found a good place to play his football, and I think you can see that by his smile and the way in which the goals are going in. You can see how much he’s enjoying himself, which is fantastic to see.”

Sunderland must beat Preston North End at Deepdale on Monday afternoon and hope either Blackburn Rovers or Boro can do them a favour in their respective games against Millwall and Coventry City.

John Ruddy makes transfer plea

John Ruddy has called on Birmingham City’s owners to ensure the Blues’ squad is strengthened ahead of next season. An exodus at St Andrew’s is expected this summer and the goalkeeper, who was linked with a move to Sunderland last summer, hopes the club can strengthen when the transfer window opens.

Ruddy told Birmingham Live: “It’s no secret that the group is going to be decimated to a certain extent in the summer. That is for the powers that be above us to make sure the recruitment is right and the players they are bringing in are right to match this group and better it in areas as well.

“Everyone has progressed but you have to build in the right ways and make sure that the season that follows one like this, where we have been successful in terms of what we’ve achieved, is then built on.”