JEREMY Sarmiento is one of the forward players in Middlesbrough's thinking as club officials weigh up their options and look to strengthen the squad in the January transfer window.
Bolstering the attack is a priority this month and versatile Brighton forward Sarmiento is one of the players who has emerged as a potential target for Boro.
But the 23-year-old is one of a number of options being considered by Boro's recruitment and coaching team, and while early talks have taken place, they've been exploratory at this stage.
It's not at a stage where a deal has been agreed or is imminent.
Boro have lined up a number of attacking targets this month but who and how many come in will depend, to some extent, on which players move on as the coaching and recruitment team look to strike the right balance in the forward line.
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Boro will look to strengthen up-front but are also targeting wide attackers, and Sarmiento, who plays predominantly off the left flank but is comfortable across the forward line, is one player who Kim Hellberg and Boro's recruitment team are understood to rate highly.
The Ecuador international is currently on loan in Italy with Cremonese but hasn't made a single Serie A start in the first half of the season and his last appearance came in early November. He was left out of the squad all together for the defeat to Fiorentina at the weekend, which set tongues wagging about his future. Links with Boro then emerged.
Brighton will understandably be keen for the forward to play regularly while out on loan, so the Premier League club would almost certainly sanction a switch for the second half of the season.
Sarmiento has plenty of Championship experience and has won promotion to the Premier League in the last two campaigns.
Two seasons ago, he spent the first half of the campaign with West Brom before linking up with the Tractor Boys in the January and helping Kieran McKenna's side win promotion. He spent last season at Burnley, making 11 Championship starts and 35 appearances in total.
Sarmiento was wanted by Cruzeiro on a permanent deal in the summer but the winger was said to have expressed his desire to stay in Europe.
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