MIDDLESBROUGH'S bid to sign Sam Greenwood on a permanent deal could hinge on whether Leeds United win promotion to the Premier League this season - but Kieran Scott has assured supporters Boro "will do their best" to get the move over the line.

Boro shrewdly inserted an option to sign Greenwood for just £1.5m when they agreed a season-long loan deal with Leeds United for the forward.

That option has been signed off by both clubs. The only complicating factor, revealed head of football Scott, would be if Leeds were to win promotion this season. Greenwood would then be in line to receive a significant wage increase at Elland Road and it would be up to the forward and his representatives to decide whether he wanted to stay at Leeds.

Boro are calm about the matter. Greenwood has settled quickly on Teesside, is playing well and enjoying his football. The former Sunderland youngster was a fringe figure at Elland Road but has quickly established himself as a key first team regular at the Riverside.

Boro signed Greenwood on loan in the final week of the summer transfer window and it later emerged that the option to make the switch permanent was included in the deal with Leeds. That puts Boro in a strong position but doesn't mean the permanent transfer has been completely finalised.

"It’s not as simple as that," explained Scott, in an hour-long interview with BBC Tees on Tuesday night.

"I won't bore people. It's a difficult one. At the minute he is still a Leeds player and I have to be respectful.

"He's on loan with an option, I’ll leave it at that. The only slight issue that could come is if Leeds were promoted, being totally transparent so everyone has the full picture. If Leeds were to be promoted, we all know what comes with that, when teams get promoted players do better for themselves. I'm sure Sam is one of those and that is an issue that is there."

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Scott added: "We'd work with Sam and his representatives in that position if that was what the club wanted to do, but it's a difficult scenario. There are things to work through but Sam has shown he can be a key component for us. The club to club side is dealt with, it would be about agreeing other things. Believe me we will do our best."

Scott is delighted to see Greenwood flourishing at Boro having long tracked the talented forward since he was an in-demand youngster at Sunderland.

Scott said: "I watched him when he was 15 at Sunderland. I really liked him, couldn't afford him. He went to Arsenal and then I had another swipe when he came out of Arsenal and chose to go to Leeds, which is fine.

"This is third time lucky. He's been good for us and we've been good for him. Long may it continue."

Greenwood has scored four goals in his last six outings for Boro, including the brilliant late winner against leaders Leicester City before the international break.

Listen back to Kieran Scott's interview with Mark Drury in full HERE.