BORO NEW BOY SAVILLE HAS EYES ON PROMOTION
MIDDLESBROUGH’S DEADLINE DAY SIGNING IS TARGETING THE PERMIER LEAGUE
New Middlesbrough signing George Saville has set his sights on the Premier League and believes he’s ready to hit the ground running following a recent international call-up.
Saville, 25 ,signed for Boro on transfer deadline day is yet to feature for Tony Pulis’ side, after jetting off to represent Northern Ireland in the UEFA Nations League.
The versatile midfielder played the full 90 minutes as the Green and White Army lost 2-1 to Bosnia-Herzegovina at Windsor Park, in a game which Pulis will have been keeping a close eye on.
Paddy McNair was an unused substitute for the hosts, while Bosnia’s Mo Besic played an unfamiliar rightback role for his country.
“I know Paddy (McNair) very well, he’s a great lad,” Saville told MFC.com when asked about the game. “I played against Mo Besic for Bosnia and it’s a different way of meeting someone.”
Saville is a player Pulis has monitored since the player’s youth career at Chelsea, before the midfielder featured in the Championship for Wolves and Millwall.
His ability to play in different positions should add competition for places in a high-flying Boro squad, who remain unbeaten in the Championship this campaign. And it was the club’s ambitions to reach the topflight which persuaded Saville to make the switch to Teesside.
“I want the football club to progress and I want myself individually to progress and that’s going to the next level,” he said.
“I want to get a promotion for the football club and myself, and I want to play as many games as possible and show the football club and the fans what I can do.
“That’s why I’ve come to Middlesbrough, that’s why I’ve chosen Middlesbrough. It’s great for a club of this stature to want you as well, so everything is possible here.”
Saville played 45 times for Millwall last season, scoring 10 goals, one of which came in the win over Boro at the Den.
He will be hoping to make his debut when Boro travel to Norwich this Saturday.
Meanwhile, Middlesbrough were one of several clubs to see bids rejected for Liverpool striker Dominic Solanke, according to reports.
The young striker attracted interest from across the continent this summer, but Liverpool were keen to keep hold of the 20-year-old and swiftly rejected any approaches for the England international.
Reports in the Evening Standard suggest that Middlesbrough, Lyon, Rangers, Aston Villa and Huddersfield Town all submitted offers for the former Chelsea man during the summer.