GASTON RAMIREZ has been told he could leave Middlesbrough this month if the right offer comes along and he expresses a desire to leave after more than a week of uncertainty surrounding his future.

Leicester City are interested in signing the South American, amid reports that he is keen on making such a switch, and they are believed to be ready to pay around £12m before the end of the transfer window.

Aitor Karanka, the Boro head coach, insists there has not been an offer from the Foxes – or anyone else – so far and Ramirez will not be playing against West Ham United on Saturday because of an ongoing knee injury.

There is conflicting talk of a £15m release clause in the player’s contract, something which has been privately dismissed by high ranked Middlesbrough sources. Around that sort of figure, though, could be what tempts Karanka into selling.

The Spaniard had certainly softened his ‘not for sale’ stance from earlier in the week when he was asked about Ramirez’s future at the club’s Rockliffe Park training headquarters yesterday lunch-time.

“There is no chance of him leaving at the moment because we have not received one offer for him,” said Karanka. “Again, if the offer arrives and he wants to leave then we will consider it. Today I don’t think it should happen.

“One year ago he wasn’t playing at Southampton, he was at Hull and he had had a lot of injuries. Now he is doing really well and is an important player for us. I have to just focus on Saturday.”

There was a fresh story yesterday claiming Leicester were ready to make an approach but a lot could depend on whether they successfully offload striker Leonardo Ulloa for £10m, with a number of clubs interested.

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BOY IS BACK: Bamford has returned to Boro. Picture: MFC

Karanka is desperate to give his attacking options a facelift and he followed up the acquisition of Rudy Gestede with the £6m signing of Patrick Bamford on Wednesday.

Bamford is back on Teesside after signing a four-and-a-half year deal, 18 months after leaving at the end of a season long loan when Middlesbrough suffered defeat in the Championship play-off final. He has since had unsuccessful loans Norwich, Crystal Palace and Burnley.

Karanka said: “He has been with different teams, different coaches, and it was a surprise that it hasn’t worked. The main thing that a coach should do is to trust the players, trust to build up confidence.

“I tried to show him two and a half years ago my confidence in him, the same as I do for every single player. He left here at the end of that season a better player and ready to play in the Premier League.

“He must have felt the environment for him and his family was the best thing for him to go elsewhere last time. The past is the past, he needs to help us in the same way he did two years ago. He is more mature, he is hungrier and is looking forward to training and playing.”

Having added Rudy Gestede to compete with Alvaro Negredo to lead the line for Middlesbrough, Bamford is unlikely to find himself playing centre-forward too often.

Karanka said: “He can play like he did with Jelle Vossen, like a winger when he played here, but if we don’t have another striker he can play up front. He can play all those options. I have had a few discussion with him and he knows.

“I said always that the club’s doors were always open for him. He considered he was ready to play in the Premier League, but he knew when he knocked on our door it would be open for him again.”

Middlesbrough’s transfer tinkering is far from complete with 11 days remaining of the window. As well as Ramirez’s situation there will be further talk centred on whether Stewart Downing or Jordan Rhodes will leave.

Downing has indicated to the club he will not be going anywhere – particularly on loan, despite Crystal Palace interest – while Karanka has revealed there has been ‘two offers’ rejected from Championship clubs for Rhodes.

Aston Villa tabled a £7m bid earlier this week, while Sheffield Wednesday are strong contenders if they can come up with a financial package.

Karanka said: “I haven’t spoken with Jordan. He needs to forget about whatever is going on around him because if he is distracted he could get injured.

“If in two weeks the club has not received the right offers then he will be still here. Again, if the right offer arrives and he wants to leave … he knows our style, my philosophy that if he trains and works hard he can play.

“It is not a problem if everyone wants to stay here because of the relationship I have with everyone in this team, this squad is amazing.”

He was less certain on Downing’s situation. Karanka, who revealed Ramirez and Antonio Barragan are his two absentees for the visit of West Ham, said: “You know more than me. You know more than me. The only thing is I know that he is part of the squad, training with the team, on the bench, maybe he is on the bench or in the stands. I don’t know.”