A handful of Boro’s brightest young stars could earn loan moves to the Football League after excelling for the club’s Under-21s.
Boro’s young guns rose to joint top of the Barclays Under-21 Premier League on Monday after securing a sixth win in their last nine league fixtures.
Charlie Wyke’s penalty helped the Teessiders overcome a dogged Derby outfit, meaning Paul Jenkins’ side are now level on points with North-east rivals Newcastle at the summit.
But by flying high in the table, some of Boro’s prized assets are quickly playing their way onto the radar of Football League clubs looking to utilise the loan market this month.
But which of Boro’s next generation are likely to be offered first-team experience away from the Riverside this month?
One man set to secure a fresh loan deal is 19-year-old Bradley Halliday, who has spent the last two months at League Two side York City.
Having to bide his time before being given a chance to shine, the right-back has since received plenty of plaudits for a series of energetic displays for the Minstermen.
The Redcar-born defender was able to play for Boro Under-21s on Monday due to the terms of his youth loan at York.
Now fresh from serving a three-match ban, Halliday is expected to be restored to the York line-up for Saturday’s match with Stevenage, after which his loan spell ends.
But manager Russ Wilcox is hopeful of striking a deal with Boro to keep Halliday at the club for an extended spell.
“It was important to get Brad game time, so he will be ready to challenge for a recall against Stevenage,” Wilcox told the York Press.
“We are also hoping to extend his loan stay again beyond this weekend.”
Elsewhere the form of striker Wyke is unlikely to have gone unnoticed.
The 22-year-old has scored two goals in his last two appearances for Boro Under-21s since returning from a three-month loan spell at Hartlepool United.
At Victoria Park Wyke hit the net four times in 14 games, and Jenkins expects the towering striker to attract further loan interest this month.
“League Two has definitely benefited him but at some point he has a challenge to go and test himself at League One or Championship level,” the coach said.
The future of influential midfielder Bryn Morris is also likely to be settled in the coming weeks, after impressing at League Two high-flyers Burton Albion before Christmas.
The 18-year-old is considered among the Academy’s brightest sparks, and his short time at the Pirelli Stadium led to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink tipping him for greatness.
Meanwhile injury ended Luke Williams’ recent loan spell at Scunthorpe United prematurely, but the forward has already been tipped for a swift return to the League One side.
Williams has spent the last two months at Glanford Park, helping to fire Iron away from the relegation zone.
It is understood Scunthorpe are keen to bring Williams back to the club once he has shaken off his knock, something that Aitor Karanka may happily sanction given his first-team options in attack.
Ryan Brobbel, David Atkinson, Bradley Fewster and Seb Hines have all spent time away on loan this season, while Andy Halliday is nearing the end of his Bradford City stay.
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