Boro Mania

So the loan window is open for business and rumours are rife with who Gareth Southgate may bring in to strengthen his Boro squad. Southgate has confirmed that he is looking at players and has said there is a good chance at least one player could be added before Saturday's visit of Ipswich Town.

Southgate told mfc.co.uk:

We're still very active at the moment trying to strengthen the squad with loans,

I still only want to bring in he right types and if we bring in loan signings it will be geared towards potential permanent signings at the end of it.

There's a good chance we could have someone in for Saturday, although whether it will be in time for him to start remains to be seen.

So who have we been linked with in the papers and various internet media outlets?

Sam Vokes

Vokes is a 19 year old Welsh International forward currently at Wolverhampton Wanderers. At 6ft 2in he fits the bill for the type of centre forward we need to be looking at and with Wolves adding giant Austrian Stefan Maierhofer just before the transfer window closed they appear keen to loan the young striker out.

Whilst we have been linked with Vokes, the rumour I have heard doing the rounds is that he is a target for Derby County who would like to ship Rob Hulse in our direction once they secured Sam Vokes.

Zurab Khizanishvili

Blackburn and Georgia defender Khizanishvili has been strongly linked with a loan move to Boro to replace the departed Robert Huth. With Ryan Nelsen and Christopher Samba at the heart of the Blackburn defence he has struggled to find a way into the side. At 6ft 2in he has the physical presence to step in alongside David Wheater and with 60 odd caps for Georgia he should have the added experience to settle the relatively young backline. At 27 years of age he is much younger than I thought he was, I was sure he was well into his thirties, and I think he would make a good addition to our squad.

Caleb Folan

Caleb Folan of Hull is another big striker, 6ft plus, who is being linked with a loan move to Boro, and whilst his physical presence would be a welcome addition he has never struck me as a goalscoring centre forward. From what I have seen of him, and I admit it's not much, I have never been impressed enough to think he is anything more than a journeyman forward who is punching way above his weight at the moment. Not for me thanks.

Gareth McAuley

Versatile Northern Ireland international defender currently at Ipswich, where he has alledgedly fallen out with Roy Keane. Don't know too much about him personally but he seems to be highly rated by Ipswich fans, though quite how interested Boro are, i'm not sure.

Sean St Ledger

A Republic of Ireland international defender, currently at Preston North End. We have been linked with St Ledger for a good few weeks now and are said to have had scouts running the rule over him in Ireland's midweek friendly. I have seen him a few times and think he is a talented player and I would have no problem with him joining the club.

Rob Hulse

A player we have been linked with since relegation was confirmed. I'd like to see him join but it seems like lazy journalism at the moment and i'm particularly convinced we'll see him in a Boro shirt anytime soon.

James Vaughan

A rumour a bit out of left field, Everton's James Vaughan is another striker linked with the club. Everton's youngest ever goalscorer, surpassing Wayne Rooney, and the Premier League's youngest ever goalscorer, beating the record held by James Milner, Vaughan is a talent who finds himself struggling to get into the Everton side.

Not the tallest player in the world, but he doesn't mind getting stuck into the rough stuff from what i've seen of him. Injuries aside, and he has had his fair share, I would be very excited about the prospect of adding James Vaughan to the squad.