JORDAN RHODES’ Middlesbrough future remains in the balance, with Norwich City heading a lengthy list of Championship clubs set to make a formal approach for the out-of-favour striker.

Having not even made the substitutes’ bench for Boro’s 2-1 win at Sunderland at the weekend, Rhodes will return to the match-day squad for this evening’s EFL Cup second-round tie at Fulham and could even find himself starting at Craven Cottage.

However, there is still a strong chance he could be leaving the Riverside before the transfer window closes next Wednesday, despite only having moved to Teesside in a £13m move from Blackburn Rovers in January.

Norwich are keen to sign him as they look to bounce back to the top-flight at the first time of asking following last season’s relegation, while tonight’s opponents, Fulham, are also understood to be interested in setting up a deal as they look to replace Ross McCormack.

Aitor Karanka continues to insist Rhodes will get plenty of opportunities this season, but the Boro boss clearly places the Scotsman below Alvaro Negredo, Cristhian Stuani and David Nugent in the attacking pecking order.

“Everybody who is in the squad will have his chance,” said the Boro head coach, who also dropped Rhodes for the decisive final game of last season. “I said I am going to make changes (at Fulham), and Jordan is one of them. For sure, one day he will have his chance.

“I was speaking with him, but only as I speak with all the players. As I said after the game on Sunday, he is a really good kid, and I told him I trust him 100 per cent, as I did when he came here.

“But now he understands that with Negredo, Nugent and Stuani, who can play in that position, there is competition, which is good for him and the team.

“It is difficult to pick the best one because they are all very good players, but he has to keep training as he is playing because one day he will have his chance. He has been fighting since we started pre-season and Alvaro Negredo arrived, and he feels he is ready. One day, his chance will appear.”

Karanka will make a number of changes for tonight’s visit to Craven Cottage, with Dimi Konstantopoulos set to return in goal. Victor Valdes has still not recovered from the muscular injury that kept him out of Sunday’s win at the Stadium of Light, and is already a doubt for Sunday’s league game at West Brom.

Fabio Da Silva will make his Middlesbrough debut, having moved from Cardiff City earlier in the month, while Daniel Ayala is expected to start at centre-half, having come on for the final few minutes at the weekend.

Julien de Sart and Viktor Fischer have also been lined up for a starting spot, with Karanka keen to use tonight’s outing as a chance to test the depth of his squad.

“I like to keep them always thinking they are going to play because sometimes, as a player, you think it is better to know the day before,” he said. “But as a coach, I prefer to keep them ready, just in case.

“The thing they need to show me, and everybody, is that they can play in this league. I am not going to change 11 players, or play with the second squad, but it will be a mix of players who I think can help us in the league, but who at the moment I know need time to play.

“Everybody needs time to settle in. That is why this is a good test for them, and an opportunity to get them confidence and to play and show they are here, and they will have their chance.”

Karanka has made ten signings since the end of last season, but having seen a proposed move for Neven Subotic break down when the Borussia Dortmund defender failed a medical, the Boro boss remains determined to make one more addition in the next seven days.

“We need to bring one in, but I am really confident and calm,” he said. “Since the end of last season, the club has worked really well behind the scenes.

“I have a really good squad, but it is true that to play until January, if we have an injury to a midfielder or central defender, with Bernardo (Espinosa) and Grant (Leadbitter) injured, we would have a problem. That is why we need one.”

Tonight’s game will see Boro reacquaint themselves with Fulham defender Tomas Kalas, who made 47 senior appearances during two loan spells on Teesside.

“It will be nice to see him,” said Karanka. “He is a really good player, and he was important for us and helped us a lot to get promotion.

“I hope he has an amazing season because he deserves the best. I had to do other business and bring in other players, but all I can say is thanks for his attitude when he was here and wish him all the best.”

Middlesbrough (possible, 4-2-3-1): Konstantopoulos; Nsue, Ayala, Gibson, Fabio; Clayton, de Sart; Adomah, Downing, Fischer; Nugent.