MIDDLESBROUGH were so desperate to keep Grant Leadbitter beyond the transfer window that they knocked back offers from two other clubs eyeing up a Championship promotion push this season.

The Northern Echo understands Sheffield Wednesday and Derby County also made pre-deadline day moves for the influential Leadbitter.

Sunderland had also hoped to persuade Boro to do a deal for the 31-year-old and their interest was well known.

But Middlesbrough showed how determined they were to retain Leadbitter’s services by resitting attempts from Hillsborough and the iPro Stadium to do a deal. All three clubs will keep an eye on his situation between now and the New Year.

The club captain only has a year remaining on his contract but Middlesbrough’s stance to keep hold of him shows how highly he is still valued around the Riverside.

Garry Monk has overlooked him in four of the opening five games in the Championship games when he was an unused substitute against Preston, Nottingham Forest, Burton Albion and Wolves.

His only appearance in the league so far under Monk was when he was introduced six minutes from time as Middlesbrough’s first home game of the season ended in a 1-0 victory over Sheffield United on August 12.

His lack of football and the remaining time he has on his contract increased the interest in him but Sheffield Wednesday, Derby and Sunderland were all rebuffed because of Middlesbrough’s desire to keep him.

Now that the transfer window has closed there will be a determination on Leadbitter’s part to prove he deserves to start in a Boro side which has struggled to get going so far.

Monk’s opening month has seen him enjoy two wins from the first five league games, which have also included two defeats and a draw while the players get used to a new way of playing under him.

Leadbitter did impress in the Carabao Cup win over Scunthorpe and Monk has shown by recalling Stewart Downing, who he had told to train with the under-23s, he is prepared to change his thinking in terms of his options.

Adam Clayton has been preferred so far in the holding role, while further forward there is competition from Jonny Howson, Adam Forshaw, Lewis Baker and Downing for one of the two more advanced midfield roles.

Leadbitter has shown over the course of his career, and on Teesside, he is not the type of player happy to sit on the bench and he will do what he can to force his way in to Monk’s thinking ahead of this Saturday’s trip to Bolton.

Middlesbrough did well to make plenty of additions to Monk’s playing staff during the summer, with Birmingham’s Ryan Shotton and Oxford’s Marvin Johnson the last two to arrive before last Thursday’s deadline.

But chairman Steve Gibson stuck to his word and didn’t sell key players, with Ben Gibson another to have remained in the North-East despite plenty of Premier League interest that didn’t go near to his valuation.

Middlesbrough also decided to keep Adama Traore rather than cash in on him when Lille and Lyon made an approach before the deadline.

Monk is weighing up who to involve when Middlesbrough travel over to Bolton this weekend, where Phil Parkinson’s men are struggling since promotion from League One.

The Trotters, who boast former Middlesbrough players Andrew Taylor and David Wheater in their ranks, are winless in five and sit bottom of the Championship.

To add to Parkinson’s problems there are injury concerns over Will Buckley and Jem Karacan because of respective hamstring and heavy knocks following a tough tackle from David Meyler.