BRAITHWAITE FUTURE TO BE DECIDED SOON
TONY PULIS HAS OFFERED AN UPDATE ON THE FUTURE OF MARTIN BRAITHWAITE
Middlesbrough boss Tony Pulis will assess the future of striker Martin Braithwaite next week.
The Danish international is still yet to return to the Championship club having represented his country at this summer’s World Cup.
But the 27-year-old is expected back next week, at which point Pulis says his future will be assessed.
The striker, who only made the move to the Riverside last summer, spent the latter half of the season on loan at Bordeaux, but a permanent move to the Ligue 1 side looks unlikely.
Braith-waite has been heavily linked with a summer move, having failed to impress at Boro thus far.
“Martin comes back the end of next week so we’ll assess that when he comes back and see where we are,” said Pulis. “We will be pleased to get everybody back and raring to go.”
Pulis also confirmed that Boro will complete some deals before the start of the new season in a fortnight – with both incomings and outgoings expected.
However, the former West Brom and Stoke boss is keen to take care of the club’s funds and has warned that there is not a ‘bottomless pit’ of money. And the focus is on securing the right characters for the club.
“There’s stuff that we want to do, there’s some positions,” he admitted. “You’ll see some in and some outs before the season starts but we’ve got to make sure they are right for the football club.
“The chairman spent a hell of a lot of money last year and it’s not a bottomless pit.
“I’ll desperately try to do my best to make sure everything balances off.”
Meanwhile, Boro youngster Marcus Tavernier is attracting interested from League One side Portsmouth.
Pompey were set to sign Newcastle midfielder Sean Longstaff on a season-long loan, but he will remain on Tyneside for at least a fortnight after an impressive pre-season. That has led the Fratton Park club to turn to other targets, with Tavernier thought to be in contention.
Hearts have admitted to “inadvertently” fielding an ineligible player in their Scottish League Cup group-stage victory over Cove Rangers. The club face a hearing on Monday after Andrew Irving, 18, came on in the 65th-minute of Wednesday’s 2-1 win.