Middlesbrough closing in on Spurs transfer agreement for £12m-rated star | OneFootball

Middlesbrough are in advanced talks with Tottenham Hotspur over a permanent deal for Ashley Phillips

Middlesbrough's summer window just gets better and better, as after a slow start, the Teesside outfit has completed some incredible business, with another statement addition looking to be on the cusp of being completed.

Middlesbrough, having missed out on promotion by the skin of their teeth last time around, are looking to make no such mistake again.

Having excelled in negotiations with Manchester United for the signature of goalkeeper Radek Vitek, with the Czech shot-stopper expected to join on a permanent deal imminently for a potential £14 million, Boro are wasting no time getting a deal for Tottenham Hotspur defender Ashley Phillips over the line.

According to Pete O'Rourke via X, Boro are in advanced negotiations with the Premier League outfit over a permanent deal for the England youth international, with Phillips expected to be heading to Teesside sooner rather than later.

Middlesbrough are in 'advanced negotiations' for the signature of Spurs defender Ashley Phillips

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As first reported by Alan Nixon via Patreon two weeks ago, Middlesbrough are aiming to bolster their defensive options with the addition of Phillips this summer, as TEAMtalk would further report that the Lilywhites value the 21-year-old at around £12 million,

Boro are not messing around this summer, with deals for Myles Peart-Harris, Kyle Joseph, Sebastian Berhalter, Max Arfsten, and Will Lankshear already over the line, the latter for a potential £20 million.

With Vitek seemingly on his way, Phillips looks to be closely following suit, as Boro lay down a marker to the rest of the Championship with these statement additions.

Phillips joined Spurs in the summer of 2023 for around £2 million, but has failed to make a competitive first-team appearance in North London, instead spending time out on loan with Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City, the latter for the past two years.

The Englishman has displayed his capability of performing at an extremely high level in the Championship, as Boro look to get one of the brightest centre-backs around to Teesside as swiftly as possible.

How would Ashley Phillips fit into Kim Hellberg's Middlesbrough side?

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With the departures of Dael Fry, Matt Targett, and Daragh Lenihan, Boro were always going to need defensive reinforcements this summer, and someone to partner Adilson Malanda in the heart of defence at the Riverside, and have seemingly landed on Phillips to be that person.

Since arriving at the helm, Hellberg has Middlesbrough playing some of the most attractive football, from a neutral standpoint, that the Championship has ever seen.

His defenders need to be comfortable playing out from the back, something which Phillips has proven to be more than capable of across his time with Plymouth and Stoke.

With over a century of games in the Championship at just 21, Phillips has incredible experience for his age, with ample time to continue to improve.

No fee has been reported as yet, but Boro look to be getting a bargain either way, as Phillips will slot straight into Hellberg's defence alongside Malanda seamlessly.

How have Middlesbrough fans reacted to this Ashley Phillips update?

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With news of negotiations entering an advanced phase for Phillips, Middlesbrough supporters have taken to social media to react to the situation, in what is proving to be a highly exciting summer in the North East.

The excitement at the Riverside is palpable, with Boro undergoing a truly incredible transfer window, as should a deal for Phillips get over the line, it's hard to see them as anything other than promotion contenders.

Boro, something which this supporter cannot quite believe.

Whilst Steve Gibson backed Rob Edwards with the likes of David Strelec, Alfie Jones, and Sontje Hansen last summer, that window pales in comparison to this one, with the Boro owner showing some real ambition in the market.