Atalanta are ready to increase their offer for Marten de Roon in an attempt to persuade Middlesbrough to part with the midfielder.

The Italian club, who sold de Roon to Boro last year, have made him their No 1 target as they prepare for their Serie A season.

But they are also lining up a move for Bayer Leverkusen's Julian Baumgartliner if new talks with Boro break down.

De Roon is keen to return to the Bergamo club that will be playing in the Europa League season.

But the fee remains the major obstacle, with Middlesbrough determined to recoup the £9m they they paid to land him from Atalanta last year.

Boro manager Garry Monk has been impressed by de Roon during the build-up to the new season and played him in their opening day defeat at Wolves.

Meanwhile, Connor Ripley remains determined make the grade at Boro after being loaned out yet again.

The 24-year-old goalkeeper will spend this season at Burton Albion and began training with them yesterday.

First, though, he signed a new contract that ties him to Boro until 2020.

Ripley agreed to the loan after being told he would start the new season at the Riverside on the sidelines.

Darren Randolph is Monk's first-choice in goal, leaving Ripley to battle with Dimi Konstantopolous and Tomas Mejias for the back-up role.

Ripley said yesterday: "Middlesbrough don’t give out contracts for nothing. They have put their faith in me and all I can do now is come down here to Burton, play games and get experience and pay back the favour.

“I think everyone realises for the goalkeeper position, even at 24, I’m quite young, but I’ve racked up nearly 100 games now and that is my main thing for me.

"I want to look back on my career and see that I’ve played 600 or 700 games. I don’t want to be a goalkeeper who sits on the bench and picks up a wage.

"I’m not coming to Burton to make the numbers up. I’m coming here to play games - that’s the sole reason for this loan deal.

"It is another step in my career and another move that I'm happy to make. I've been down in the League One and now I'm happy to be in the Championship."

Burton are the sixth club that Ripley has joined on loan following spells at Oxford United, Bradford City, Ostersund, Motherwell and Oldham Athletic.

He played 46 times for Oldham last season, winning numerous player of the year awards, and is likely to make his Burton debut against them in tonight's Carabao Cup-tie at Boundary Park.