Middlesbrough: Boro make move for Hull's Robert Snodgrass with Stewart Downing set to leave on loan

With David Nugent having completed a £2.5m move to Derby County last night, Downing has also received a number of offers since he was told he was free to leave Boro on a temporary basis, with Crystal Palace currently his preferred destination as he looks to remain in the Premier League.

His departure will intensify the need for Aitor Karanka to make an attacking acquisition of his own, and Snodgrass is currently his preferred option, even though he faces a large amount of competition for the Scotland international.

West Ham had a £3m bid rejected at the end of last week, but Slaven Bilic’s side remain hopeful of signing Snodgrass, who has entered the final 18 months of his current contract with Hull.

Hull boss Marco Silva remains keen to hold on to Snodgrass this month, and there is an acceptance within the corridors of power at the KCOM Stadium that selling the midfielder would make it all-but-impossible for the Tigers to avoid relegation.

Speaking ahead of this evening’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg with Manchester United, Silva said: “All I want to do is improve my team. I don’t want to lose important players, and I hope Snodgrass continues with us. He is an important player for us.”

Nevertheless, with Snodgrass unlikely to sign a new deal, Hull officials are aware this month’s transfer window represents their best opportunity of extracting the highest possible fee for the 29-year-old, who cost £8m when he joined Hull from Norwich in 2014.

It is likely to take a similar sum to sign him this month, and it remains to be seen whether Boro are willing to pay that kind of figure for a player coming so close to the end of his contract.

Snodgrass’ attacking qualities have been abundantly clear in the first half of the season, with his nine Hull goals playing a huge role in ensuring his current employers are not completely detached at the foot of the table.

Snodgrass has outscored every member of the Boro squad, even though Hull have spent the vast majority of the season in the relegation zone, and also claimed a hat-trick for Scotland at the start of the campaign.

He is capable of playing in a central attacking-midfield role, or on either flank, and would add a much-needed goal threat to a Boro line-up that has lacked creativity and penetration on a number of occasions this season.

He is a different type of player to either Adama Traore or Gaston Ramirez, and is represented by Leeds-based agent Lee Matthews, whose Sport Management International company has had links with Middlesbrough in the past.

As well as entering discussions for Snodgrass, Boro have also declared an interest in Stoke midfielder Bojan Krkic.

Karanka confirmed his admiration for Bojan last week, with the 26-year-old having struggled to force his way into Mark Hughes’ plans at the Britannia Stadium this season.

Bojan is known to be disillusioned at his lack of involvement this term – he has only made 11 appearances in all competitions – and his mood is unlikely to have improved when he was hauled off at the half-time interval of Stoke’s weekend FA Cup defeat to Wolves, along with team-mate Giannelli Imbula.

“You can read into Bojan and Imbula,” said a clearly unhappy Hughes. “They weren’t making an impact, and we needed to change things. That’s the top and bottom of it. We need to pick up and get our act together.”

Boro’s need for midfield reinforcements will increase once Downing completes a loan move away from the Riverside, with the Teessider having been told he is free to move on temporarily this month.

Downing, who was a second-half substitute in yesterday’s FA Cup third-round win over Sheffield Wednesday, will leave Teesside after dropping down the pecking order in the first half of the season.

His availability has attracted the attention of a number of sides, with Newcastle United having expressed a potential interest as they look to add to their options in the wide positions.

However, Crystal Palace have made the strongest moves at this stage, with Downing keen to remain in the top-flight.

Palace boss Sam Allardyce worked with Downing at West Ham, and remains a huge fan of the former England international, having successfully played him in a central-midfield role at Upton Park.

The former Sunderland and England boss has been told he has the funds to make changes this month, with Palace currently just one place above the relegation zone, and will attempt to push through a deal for Downing before the weekend.

Boro have reservations about allowing Downing to join one of their relegation rivals, but the midfielder’s determination to remain in the top-flight means they might not have another option if they are determined to see him move elsewhere.

There have also been a number of inquiries from abroad, but that is not understood to be a preferred option at this stage.

Downing will not be leaving Boro on a permanent basis, and is contracted at the Riverside until the summer of 2019.

Nugent has left permanently, with the 31-year-old having signed a two-and-a-half year deal with Derby.

He has not appeared in Boro’s first team since he was a second-half substitute in September’s 3-1 defeat at Everton, and leaves having scored nine goals in 45 appearances for the Teessiders.

“I can’t wait to get back out on the pitch, and I am really excited about that,” said Nugent. “I’ve had a frustrating few months as I’ve not been playing too much this season, so I am raring to go.

“I’ve only played one competitive game, in the EFL Cup at the start of the season, and I didn’t really have a sniff after that. I’m champing at the bit to be playing games, and I have that hunger to be playing and scoring goals.”