Middlesbrough: Traore set to leave as Boro battle Fulham for Brentford star Jota

And, ahead of what is likely to be a hectic few days on the transfer front on Teesside, Boro know they will have to act swiftly if they want to win the race for Brentford forward Jota.

It could well be the case that Jota takes Traore’s place in the squad if Middlesbrough can beat Fulham to the signature of Jota.

It has emerged Fulham are willing to go to £6m for the Spaniard and Brentford have been holding out for £8m from Middlesbrough.

The well-fancied Cottagers, who have started the season disappointingly with just one league win, will offer him £30,000-a-week and that shouldn’t pose too much of a problem to Middlesbrough.

He scored 12 goals in 21 league games last season and Brentford boss Dean Smith has not ruled out keeping him beyond this Thursday’s transfer deadline.

Smith said: "Jota is fully committed to the cause here and he knows he can achieve what he wants to achieve with us. He trains with a smile on his face, the players like him but he did look a little tired.”

Garry Monk, the Middlesbrough boss, has been looking at adding to his attacking options anyway, but a sale of Traore would heighten the need for reinforcements.

There is also an interest in Liverpool youngster Ryan Kent, while Stewart

Downing has come in from the cold in the last two matches and impressed with cameo outings from the bench.

Downing was preferred to Traore against Preston North End on Saturday when the Spaniard wasn’t even included among the substitutes.

The 21-year-old is the likeliest Middlesbrough player to leave before the window closes and it is Lille where he is expected to head.

Lille have already had an offer rejected by the Riverside club but are willing to increase it with the knowledge Middlesbrough are seeking around the £13m mark.

Traore is a player with bags of potential but he has struggled to add an end product to much of his blistering style of play since arriving from Aston Villa 12 months ago.

His likely departure has contributed to Downing’s recall to the first team set-up, having spent a number of weeks training with the under-23s.

The experienced winger was told by Monk he could leave on a free transfer before the start of the season, but now the manager appears to have had a change of thought.

Downing has been given some minutes from the bench in each of his last two matches and the signs point to him being given a greater chance under the his latest manager.

Birmingham have repeatedly tried to broker a deal for him but an agreement over the remaining two years of his contract at the Riverside could not be agreed. Harry Redknapp, the City boss, has not given up yet.

Redknapp said: “I’ve been after Downing now for four months. It’s going to be hard. The owners have made the money available but it’s just been difficult getting the deals done, it’s not been easy. Six weeks, eight weeks it’s been slow, 12 weeks probably, so I don’t see why it’s going to quicken up suddenly.”

Middlesbrough are still waiting for Redknapp to give the go-ahead for the £2.5m transfer of defender Ryan Shotton to go through. The deal remains on the table but Birmingham have stalled because they have been unable to bring in a replacement.

The situation has frustrated Middlesbrough, who are hopeful Shotton will become their player before the deadline. 

The need for Shotton to arrive will increase if there are some late bids for Ben Gibson. Middlesbrough have always maintained, and still do, that they will not welcome offers for the centre-back.

However, there are a lot of Premier League clubs looking for a new defender and Gibson is known to be on the radar of many.

West Brom have already had a couple of bids rejected for him, but Manchester City, Leicester, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea are also keen to bring in a new centre-back this week. 

Gibson might not be at the top of those clubs’ list of targets, but one deal for a player like Jonny Evans – wanted by Leicester and Manchester City – could have a domino effect.