Middlesbrough FC should turn to Liverpool or Leicester City for superior Glen Kamara alternative | OneFootball

Boro have been linked with a move for Kamara this month, but Michael Carrick could find better alternatives in the form of a Premier League duo...

Middlesbrough, along with a number of Championship sides, have been linked with a move for Rennes midfielder Glen Kamara, but Premier League duo Leicester City and Liverpool could offer better alternatives.

Ipswich, Southampton, Sunderland, Burnley and Middlesbrough have all been credited with an interest in the former Leeds United central midfielder, ahead of a potential move this month.

The 29-year-old Finland international departed Elland Road to join Ligue 1 side Rennes in the summer window, in a deal understood to be worth £8.4m.

However, having largely lost his grip on a starting role since Jorge Sampaoli's arrival in November, murmurings over a potential return to English football have been growing, with the Teessiders named as a potential destination.

Given the fee Rennes parted with to sign Kamara mere months ago, signing the former Arsenal youngster likely won't come cheap, and as such, Michael Carrick may be better served looking at two alternatives instead. One from Anfield, and the other residing at The King Power Stadium.

Liverpool FC's Kirkby academy is one of the finest foundries of football talent in English, and indeed world football. Middlesbrough have been sampling one of the Reds' brightest young talents this season, and he's been nothing short of a Riverside revelation.

19-year-old winger Ben Doak has been one of the star players in the Championship so far this term, and as such, the Teessiders are sweating over the prospect of the Scottish international being snatched away from them this month as Liverpool continue to field big-money offers.

The rapid progress Doak has been making in the North East this season should see Boro bank a major amount of credit with Liverpool, and so should they make an approach for another one of their young talents this month, they could be placed at the front of the queue.

Step forward 22-year-old central midfielder Tyler Morton. The England youth international has been on the verge of breaking into a full-time first-team role at Anfield for a number of years now, having made 12 senior appearances for the club since 2021.

Morton spent the duration of the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons out on loan with Championship sides Blackburn Rovers and Hull City respectively, where he proved himself as being a quality player at second tier level.

Aidan Morris' injury absence has highlighted a severe issue of ball retention in the heart of Carrick's midfield, with both Hayden Hackney and Dan Barlaser respectively struggling in that category. However, Morton's 82.4 and 88.5 percent pass completion ratio from his time in the Championship suggests he could go a long way to fixing that problem.

Entering the stage of his career where regular football is a priority, Morton could be an ideal candidate for a January loan move, with the potential for a permanent deal in the summer possibly on the cards too.

Leicester City's Hamza Choudhury could be a highly shrewd addition to Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough team

One trait that Carrick loves his players to have is versatility, and Leicester City's Hamza Choudhury would certainly bring that to the Middlesbrough squad.

The 27-year-old can operate as a central midfielder, a centre-back, and even as a right-back, which are all areas of potential need in Carrick's squad.

In 34 Championship appearances for the Foxes last season, Choudhury recorded an outstanding pass completion percentage of 92.1 percent, whilst also completing 77.8 percent of his dribbles and 72.7 percent of his tackles - per FotMob.

The former England youth international has fallen down the pecking order at The King Power so far this season, however, and as such, could be a player that Ruud van Nistelrooy views as surplus to requirements this month.

If so, he could be a superb signing for a club like Middlesbrough, who are looking to push for Premier League promotion in the second half of the campaign. Boro have had their struggles defensively at times this season, but Choudhury's profile would suggest he could provide a real boost in that department, whilst also providing further depth in central midfield.