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According to a report in the printed version of The Sun (January 16, page 53), Middlesbrough are reportedly keen to sign Fulham outcast Kevin McDonald, in a move that would surely signal that manager Tony Pulis has lost the plot.

What's the word, then?

Well, despite being a regular under former Cottagers boss Slavisa Jokanovic earlier in the Premier League campaign, the 30-year-old has found first-team minutes much harder to come by since Claudio Ranieri succeeded the Serbian coach.

The five-cap Scotland international has only played eight minutes of football since then after falling way down the pecking order, and has been missing in recent weeks because of an ankle injury.

The Sun reports that Boro are keen to offer the combative midfielder a Championship lifeline, and seeing as he won promotion from the division less than 12 months ago he would clearly be a handy acquisition in a deal that would likely be a loan one with a view to a permanent move.

Why is Pulis losing the plot?

While McDonald would be a quality and experienced addition to the Teesside outfit's squad, they simply don't need him.

The 60-year-old manager already has Paddy McNair, Grant Leadbitter, Adam Clayton, Jonny Howson, Muhamed Besic and George Saville who can feature in those central areas, and if anything they surely need to add an attack-minded midfielder, a winger or a striker to the squad instead.

Pulis is known for being conservative to get results, but signing McDonald would be nothing short of crazy given he already started with five central midfielders in the XI for the 1-1 draw against Derby County just a few weeks ago.

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