WITH several new signings closing in on a move to Middlesbrough, the club are ready to sanction a loan move for striker Josh Coburn.

Chris Wilder revealed that deals for new signings are ‘down the line’ at an advanced stage. Because of that, they are ready to let the 19-year-old go out on loan and play first-team football in order to further his development as Boro look to set to strengthen their squad.

Coburn has featured 26 times for the first-team and scored six goals since breaking into the first-team including a memorable match winning goal against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup last season.

However, it looks like he will be playing his football elsewhere this season as Wilder said after the game: “We’ve got really high hopes for Josh, but we possibly feel that in his progression and his development that he maybe needs to go out (on loan) and play regular football and get into a rhythm. But right now, he’s here, Chuba’s here having a go, Dunc is here having a go on one leg, and we all understand where we’re at.”

Coburn’s progression has impressed the coaching staff at the club and his performances have caught the eye over the last season with a host of clubs ready to pounce at the opportunity of taking Coburn on loan. “We’ve had loads of people enquire about him” continued Wilder.

“That’s what we think and what we feel. We like to think we know what’s best for the boy’s development as well. We know that every time he puts that shirt on he’ll give everything that he’s got to give, and if we do decide to keep him in the building then fine.”

Coburn is currently part of a crop of strikers that include Duncan Watmore, Chuba Akpom and Marcus Forss but Boro are expecting to complete deals for new strikers in the near future in the hope they are available for next week’s second league game away to Queens Park Rangers.

Boro kicked off their Championship campaign with a 1-1 draw against West Brom at the Riverside Stadium yesterday with Coburn coming on as a second half substitute.