Boro boss: We will let Traore go if price right

MIDDLESBROUGH manager Tony Pulis has admitted Boro will not be able to fight off any serious bids for winger Adama Traore.

The Barcelona youth product has been linked to Huddersfield Town this summer, with the Terriers made joint favourites alongside Chelsea to sign the 22-year-old earlier in the transfer window.

And although former West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City boss Pulis has a “soft spot” for the forward he has helped develop since stepping into the Riverside Stadium hotseat, he understands that Boro would not be able to turn down a substantial bid for the star.

When asked whether a deal for the former Aston Villa winger was close, Pulis told TeessideLive : “No, no, no... well we can’t fight it off, if it’s gonna happen it’s gonna happen so he’s a terrific lad and someone who I’ve got the time for and a lot of respect for.

“Obviously I’ve got a soft spot for the kid.”

Traore has been in pre-season training with the north east side and scored in their 4-3 loss to Accrington Stanley on Saturday.

On his performance in the defeat, Pulis added: “I think you’ve seen him work his socks off, gets stuck in, score – there’s nothing clouding his mind at the moment his attitude was first class again.”

The winger has been linked to a range of clubs this summer, with Town, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Wolverhampton Wanderers just a handful of names rumoured to be interested in his services.

But Boro have managed to keep hold of their No.37 so far this summer, something Pulis is pleased about.

“I think everybody is relieved that’s the case,” the boss said. “But football’s football, you’re at a football club who have sold players before, that’s what happens and you can accept it and the important thing is to find players who can come in and replace them if they do go.

“There’s no definites in football, what we’ve got do is make sure if we lose players, then we bring good ones in because that’s important for everybody at the football club.

“Everybody understands and respects Steve’s view of the football club and what he wants to achieve so hopefully it will be an interesting two weeks.

“I think usually the best deals are done at the end of the window not during the window.”