The Oliver Skipp wages Middlesbrough might have to pay if Leicester City deal agreed | OneFootball

FLW outline Oliver Skipp's Leicester City wages as Middlesbrough eye deal for the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder...

Middlesbrough have been linked with a move for Oliver Skipp to replace Hayden Hackney, with the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder now a Leicester City player in League One.

Oliver Skipp joined Leicester City from Spurs for £20 million with £5 million of potential add-ons back in 2024 (Sky Sports). In the last two seasons, he has played 65 times and the Foxes have been relegated twice.

That said, he has just over 100 Premier League appearances and 79 in the Championship. He is also comfortable in terms of progressing the ball through the thirds, which perhaps explains why Boro are keen on Skipp to replace the outgoing Hayden Hackney.

Hackney is headed to Everton for £25 million, according to The Telegraph's John Percy. However, he adds that Skipp could depart Leicester for Middlesbrough, albeit they are put off by his asking price of £15 million.

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The report from Percy states that Skipp is keen to leave Leicester and restart his career following the club being relegated to the third tier, but the potential transfer fee is forcing Boro to consider other targets.

It adds that Leicester are under pressure to sell players to raise money to fund their own signings under new manager Russell Martin. Skipp, therefore, is one of the players they are looking to move on after he signed for the club in the Premier League.

Despite Skipp's career featuring plenty of highs and lows, it's easy to see why some second tier sides would consider him. After progressing through Spurs' academy, he enjoyed an outstanding loan spell at Norwich City. He played a pivotal role in their Championship title-winning campaign and earned widespread praise for his mature midfield displays.

However, opportunities became more limited back at Spurs before his move to Leicester. Although his time with the Foxes has been difficult, Skipp has already shown enough quality previously to excel in the Championship and could yet rediscover his best form with regular football.

His wages are also likely to be a stumbling block, though. According to estimates from Capology, there are only five Leicester players on more than his £50,000 per week wage. Capology suggest that Luke Ayling is the permanently contracted Middlesbrough player on the most money at £30,000 by comparison.

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With Hackney's departure closing in this summer, Skipp could replicate several of the midfielder's standout attributes. The Leicester man is comfortable receiving possession under pressure and dictates the tempo well under the right manager. Kim Hellberg could be the man to turn his career around.

His ability to recycle the ball and provide control in midfield would make him a logical stylistic fit for Hellberg's system. However, any move appears unlikely when finances are taken into account. Skipp is believed to earn way more at Leicester than many others, and it's a figure that would almost certainly sit outside Middlesbrough's current wage structure.

As much as he would improve Boro's midfield, the club are more likely to target younger, more affordable alternatives who better align with their long-term recruitment model. That said, it would not be altogether surprising if the Leicester midfielder is targeted as a loan deal instead.

That is where an agreement could be struck, but not a permanent deal for £15 million for a player also paid £50,000. That is not a smart use of the Hackney money when there might be numerous other areas of the Middlesbrough squad it could be put to good use.