According to the printed version of The Sunday Mirror (August 19, page 64), Southampton are said to be willing to loan out Matt Target, and Middlesbrough are one of the Championship sides interested in signing him.

What's the word, then?

Well, the 22-year-old shone during a loan spell with Fulham in the second-half of the 2017/18 campaign and helped them secure promotion to the Premier League as a result.

The Sunday Mirror report that Saints turned down an offer worth more than £15m from the Cottagers on deadline day for Targett as they don’t want to lose him on a permanent basis, but it appears as though they are willing to loan him out – with Boro and Aston Villa among those keen –given he finds himself behind captain Ryan Bertrand in the pecking order at left-back/left wing-back right now.

Meanwhile, George Friend has been lining up at left-back for Championship leaders Boro so far this term, but Tony Pulis may want some extra depth and quality in that area.

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Would Targett be a good signing?

He certainly would be.

The fact that he made such a huge impression for Fulham – he was only on the losing side in two of his 21 appearances for Slavisa Jokanovic’s men – last term and produced a bid of more than £15m that was turned down shows how good he is.

The 22-year-old would not only bring defensive quality to the left-back position, but he showed during his time at Craven Cottage that he can get forward and create opportunities too, and he has the attributes to play further forward as a left-sided midfielder or winger as well.

Sealing a move for Targett would certainly send out a message to Middlesbrough’s Championship rivals that they mean business.