Middlesbrough and Coventry City eyeing 44-cap international striker - he cost $16.2m in 2024 | OneFootball

Middlesbrough and Coventry City are chasing Cincinnati striker Kevin Denkey.

Middlesbrough and Coventry City have already turned some of their attention to the summer transfer window amid their respective efforts to earn their place in next season's Premier League.

The Sky Blues followed up on last Monday's 3-1 win over title rivals Boro with a 2-0 victory at West Brom on Saturday, whereas Kim Hellberg's men were held to a 0-0 draw by relegation-threatened Oxford United.

Coventry remain top of the Championship, three points above Middlesbrough, with 13 second-tier fixtures remaining.

Frank Lampard's men will strive to further build on their momentum when they face Sheffield United on Wednesday, while Hellberg's side host Leicester City on Tuesday.

Middlesbrough and Coventry City chasing Kevin Denkey

Coventry and Boro will both have to heavily bolster their squads to survive in the Premier League next term, should they retain their top-two spots in the Championship come the end of the season.

Leeds United and Sunderland have both proven the importance of enjoying a successful summer transfer window this term, as the newly promoted duo are on course for top-flight safety.

And, according to Alan Nixon via Patreon, the Sky Blues and Middlesbrough are both eyeing Cincinnati forward Kevin Denkey ahead of the summer.

Nixon's report adds that the 25-year-old is open to moving to England, having joined the MLS in a move worth around £13million in January 2025.

Denkey has previous experience in European football, having spent four-and-a-half seasons with Belgian side Cercle Brugge, who he joined from French club Nimes in January 2021.

The Togo international has scored 20 goals in 39 appearances for Cincinnati, while both his age and his profile have caught the eye of Middlesbrough and Coventry, according to Nixon.

He was on the scoresheet yet again on Saturday, notching the opening goal in the 80th minute of a 2-0 victory over Atlanta United to kick-start the 2026 MLS campaign.

Impressively, those efforts came just two days after the striker scored and produced an assist in a 4-0 triumph over O&M FC in the Concacaf Champions Cup.

MLS can be a fruitful market for Championship and Premier League clubs

Coventry and Middlesbrough fans may both raise their eyebrows at the prospect of their club signing an MLS striker in preparation for a potential Premier League campaign.

However, the US-based division has often proven a fruitful market for both Championship and Premier League sides in recent seasons.

For instance, Norwich City have been one of the best teams in the second tier in recent weeks, and winger Ali Ahmed, who was signed from Vancouver Whitecaps, has become a key asset for the Canaries, notching two goals and two assists in seven league appearances.

Meanwhile, in the Premier League, Diego Gomez is making a name for himself in Brighton colours after moving to the Seagulls from Inter Miami in January 2025.

Middlesbrough themselves have already reaped the benefits of the MLS market, as Aidan Morris has played his part in their promotion-chasing efforts this term and joined the Riverside Stadium club from Columbus Crew in the summer of 2024.

Both the Sky Blues and Boro will need to add some tried-and-tested Premier League quality to their ranks this summer, if they do win promotion, but Denkey's goalscoring record in the MLS suggests he could be good enough to perform in the English top flight.