Middlesbrough will reject all offers for Hayden Coulson in the summer amid rumoured interest from Newcastle United, according to Teesside Live.
Boro see Coulson as a key part of their future at the Riverside Stadium having burst onto the scene following an injury to regular first-choice left-back George Friend, and gone on to make 19 starts over 26 outings in all competitions this term.
The hierarchy on Hurworth consider Coulson to tick all of their boxes in terms of style, with the 21-year-old a fast and attack-minded academy product who progressed through the junior ranks to establish himself in Boro’s senior fold.
Jonathan Woodgate has also managed to get the most out of the former England youth international at left-wing-back and left-midfield, thanks to the Gateshead-born prospect’s willingness to run at his man during high-energy, direct performances.
Those performances were claimed to have caught Steve Bruce’s attention on Tyneside, as The Sun on Sunday (page 59, 08/03) suggested the boss had instructed our scouts to keep a track of Coulson’s development with an eye to making the Boro man our first-choice left-back next term.
We currently do not have a guaranteed option for the position with Danny Rose on loan from Tottenham Hotspur without an option to buy the £18million-rated international.
Coulson could offer a cheaper option should Bruce look to replace Rose, with the weekend’s speculation suggesting the 21-year-old – who is enjoying his breakthrough season at the Riverside Stadium – could cost £10m.
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Word of Boro’s reluctance to sell Coulson will come as a major blow to Newcastle and Bruce in the gaffer’s search for his Rose replacement, though time is still on his hands in finding the man who will occupy our left-back slot next term.
Coulson has the potential to one day be a top left-back going by his performances this season, having helped to keep five clean sheets, been credited with one assist and has scored once in the Championship this term.
He has also averaged 2.1 tackles per second-tier game, plus 1.0 interceptions, 1.4 clearances, is yet to make an error that has led to a shot, won 5.5 ground duels, 1.0 aerial duels, delivered 0.6 accurate crosses (17%) and found teammates with 9.0 (54%) passes made in the opposition’s half, per Sofa Score.