Middlesbrough, Coventry City and Wolves in race to sign striker wanted by Man Utd in December | OneFootball

AJ Auxerre academy product Lassine Sinayoko has scored six league goals so far this season in France

Middlesbrough and Coventry City are eyeing up Auxerre striker Lassine Sinayoko alongside Premier League outfit Wolves.

Back in December, it was understood that Manchester United were engaged in advanced discussions over a move for the Mali forward - with suggestions from Africa Foot that they were close to a final agreement.

So far in France's top-flight this season, 26-year-old Sinayoko has managed six goals and two assists, but there's every chance he could move to England before the February 2nd deadline.

Middlesbrough and Coventry City keen on Auxerre forward Lassine Sinayoko

According to Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke on X, all three of Boro, the Sky Blues and Wolves are plotting moves for Sinayoko.

The aforementioned Man United claims detailed how the Reds were negotiating terms on what was expected to be a cut-price deal due to his contract situation, which was due to expire at the end of June.

Yes, this would've made the current Championship and Premier League interest all the more intriguing, but the forward signed an extension for another year.

Even still, O'Rourke mentions in his tweet that all English sides are looking to add more firepower to their squads by the end of this winter window. Across four full-seasons in Ligue 1, Sinayoko has failed to score more than eight league goals, however he is capable of playing on either flank.

Along with this, both Middlesbrough and Coventry have already been active on the transfer front and don't appear to be slowing down.

Middlesbrough continue striker hunt and give Coventry City more problems

Middlesbrough have already been very active this month, wrapping up a deal for their third signing of the window in Brighton & Hove Albion winger Jeremy Sarmiento but are apparently not stopping there.

TeesideLive have been clear that, despite Sarmiento’s arrival, Boro are still in the market for a centre-forward option to spearhead their promotion push, which aligns with their move to explore Sinayoko.

Coventry City, meanwhile, are having a busy window of their own as they look to sustain their own promotion charge from the top of the table. Signing both Romain Esse and Min-hyeok Yang on loan deals from Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur respectively.

Frank Lampard's Sky Blues are already locked in another reported transfer tussle, with BirminghamWorld stating that they are battling Birmingham City to sign Brentford and Nigeria midfielder Frank Onyeka.

Given that both Boro and Coventry occupy the automatic places, it's perhaps not a surprise to find out that they're being linked with the same player. As for Wolves, it remains to be seen how much of a 'Premier League pull' they'd be able to give Sinayoko being rock-bottom on eight points.