MIDDLESBROUGH are bracing themselves for a late move by Cardiff City that could scupper Tony Mowbray’s plans to keep Andrew Taylor at the Riverside Stadium.

Cardiff yesterday confirmed Malky Mackay, the former Watford manager, has been appointed Dave Jones’ successor at the Bluebirds which has cast further doubt on Taylor’s Boro future.

Mackay was desperate to take the left-back, who finished the season as a left midfielder on Teesside after being on loan at Vicarage Road for the first part of the season, to Watford as a free agent when his contract expires at the end of this month. But the Hornets did not have the financial clout to push a deal through and Middlesbrough had been confident the 24-year-old would sign a new contract, albeit on significantly reduced terms.

However, with the paperwork left unsigned, the door has always remained open for any other clubs to come in and tempt him into leaving the club where he has graduated through the Academy ranks.

Now Mackay is expected to put serious consideration into taking Taylor to South Wales, having been hugely impressed when the pair worked together last season.

The versatile Hartlepool-born defender had been set to seal a permanent switch to the Hornets last January before Mowbray asked him to come back to Teesside. Since then Taylor has become an integral part of Boro’s plans after figuring prominently on the left of his midfield during an end-of-season revival.

There has been interest in him from other Championship clubs, but the prospect of Mackay making a move should force Middlesbrough into getting the deal done.

It has been a quiet summer at the Riverside, where Mowbray has been hoping to sell off his high earners in the hope of kick-starting his own squad-strengthening plans.

Since taking over from Gordon Strachan last October, he has reduced his squad considerably, with little coming in the other way.

Following the departures of Matt Kilgallon, David Wheater and Gary O’Neil in January, Mikael Tavares, Willo Flood, Maxi Haas and Andrew Davies have all since left. Taylor and Julio Arca, no nearer to signing a new deal, could follow on July 1.

Moroccan Merouane Zemmama has been the only permanent arrival since Mowbray took over, while Roda’s Dutch forward Anouar Haduoir is waiting to be given the green light to join.