Transfer news: Middlesbrough player seeks 'January exit' amid previous Sunderland and West Ham links
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One-time Sunderland transfer target Isaiah Jones could look to leave rivals Middlesbrough during the January window, according to reports.
The 25-year-old has fallen significantly down the pecking order on Teesside in recent times, and has started just one match since September. The winger began the current campaign as a regular fixture of Michael Carrick’s side, and started Boro's first six league outings before falling somewhat out of favour - a situation that has been exacerbated by the eye-catching form of Liverpool loanee Ben Doak.
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Hide AdIt is within this context that Football League World suggest Jones will seek a fresh challenge elsewhere in the new year, with the understanding being that he would have no shortage of suitors were he to depart the Riverside.
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To that end, the online outlet claim that Sunderland previously held an interest in the wide man last year, with Boro supposedly willing to cash-in on their asset at one point. Alongside the Black Cats, the likes of Norwich City and Millwall, as well as Premier League outfits West Ham, Crystal Palace, and Bournemouth were also said to be keen.
Ultimately, however, an exit failed to materialise, and in the months following, Jones established himself as a key presence under Carrick - so much so that he put pen to paper on a new three-year contract extension back in April. That agreement is due to keep him under contract until the summer of 2027, as things stand.
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Hide AdJones joined Boro from non-league side Tooting & Mitcham in 2019, and has since gone on to register 145 appearances, scoring 13 goals and assisting 19 more in the process. He is also a senior Guyana international, and has recorded two goals in his six caps to date.
Speaking about Doak’s emergence and Jones’ subsequent absence from the starting XI in a recent press conference, Boro boss Carrick said: “He [Doak] is really lively and he’s got those moments in him. We’ll manage him and see how he goes over the course of the season. We’ve got Izzy there as well, giving us good choices down that side. But Ben is a dangerous player and gives us something slightly different to Izzy, albeit being very similar in fitting in to the team. We’re going to need them both as the season goes."
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