TONY PULIS will make a decision over Adam Clayton’s future in the next few days, with a host of Championship clubs having expressed an interest in the Middlesbrough midfielder.

Nottingham Forest have become the latest club to flag up their desire to sign Clayton this month, with former Boro boss Aitor Karanka keen to be reunited with one of the most influential players from his successful promotion campaign on Teesside.

Aston Villa, Leeds United and Cardiff City have also expressed an interest in the 28-year-old, and having shelled out an initial fee of just £1.5m when they signed Clayton from Huddersfield Town in the summer of 2014, Boro could secure a sizeable profit if they were to sell him during the current transfer window.

That option remains on the table, with Tony Pulis having failed to select Clayton in all three of his matches since replacing Garry Monk, but the new Boro boss is still to decide on who he will look to move on before January 31.

He brought Clayton off the bench during last weekend’s FA Cup third-round win over Sunderland, and while he currently regards Grant Leadbitter and Jonny Howson as his first-choice central midfielders, Clayton’s extensive Championship experience could be useful in the second half of the campaign.

To further complicate matters, Adam Forshaw has also found himself on the fringes of the first team under Pulis, and it is unlikely that Boro would be willing to allow both players to leave without at least one midfield addition.

Adlene Guedioura’s return from the footballing wilderness has furnished Pulis with another midfield option, but the new Boro boss will not want to leave himself short in what could be a hectic final four months of the season.

He has already agreed to curtail Connor Roberts’ loan spell on Teesside – the full-back is in line to make his first Premier League appearance when Swansea City visit Newcastle United tomorrow – and is set to send George Miller back out on loan following the end of the youngster’s previous loan deal at Wrexham.

Wrexham had hoped to resign Miller this month, but Boro officials would rather the 19-year-old gained some more experience in the Football League.

“George is a great lad, and I thought at one point we might be able to extend it (his loan deal),” said Wrexham boss Dean Keates. “We asked the question on Monday and pushed as much as we could, but Middlesbrough would rather him go into the Football League.

“They want him to play at as high a standard as they can to get that experience. There is the possibility of a couple of league teams sniffing around.”

Meanwhile, Karanka has added to his contingent of former Middlesbrough coaches at his new employers, Nottingham Forest. The former Boro boss had already added former Boro coach Carlos Cachada to his backroom team, and has now confirmed the appointment of Juanjo Vila as Forest’s new senior analyst.

“My role will be the same as in Middlesbrough – assistant coach and head of analysis, and with us comes Carlos Cachada as a physical trainer,” said Vila, in an interview with the Spanish press. “So far this season, there was the opportunity to sign for three Spanish teams, and Aitor rejected all three. The solidity of the project that you are given in England is a priority.”