Middlesbrough are confident of winning the race for Bristol City striker Tommy Conway, ahead of several of their Championship rivals, sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk.
Conway seems certain to leave Bristol City this summer after rejecting a new deal and being banished from the first-team by Robins boss Liam Manning.
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The 22-year-old is into the final year of his contract at Ashton Gate and Bristol City will reluctantly cash in on him rather than risk allowing him to run down his contract.
The likes of Burnley and Hull City have been credited with an interest in Conway, but Middlesbrough are leading the race for the Scotland international.
Middlesbrough have made a bid for Conway and they remain in talks with Bristol City as they look to thrash out a deal for the forward.
Boro are confident of agreeing a deal with Bristol City for Conway with the player indicating he would prefer a move to the Riverside over other interested clubs.
Talks are advancing between both clubs and with the player keen to make the move to Teesside all parties are expecting a deal to be finalised soon.
Bristol City boss Manning recently denied any fall out with Conway, but confirmed the prospect has little intention of staying at the club.
“I know there was a lot of noise around me and Tommy falling out but that’s not the case at all – we’ve been getting on fine,” Manning told BBC Radio Bristol.
“I’ve had numerous chats with him last season going into his final year. The club, for me, made a fantastic offer to him but it was turned down. It wasn’t negotiated.
“Then he gave the indication he wants to move on, he doesn’t want to re-sign and stay.”
As stated, Middlesbrough have been trying to overpower competition from clubs like Hull City, whose vice-chairman Tan Kesler recently hinted that talks between Michael Carrick and Conway seem to have swayed the striker.
“We were interested in Tommy,” Kesler told BBC Radio Humberside. “I’m not going to lie, we jumped in late. But they went out and spoke to Middlesbrough, Leeds and I believe Sheffield came in at some point. He found positive communication with Michael Carrick, I believe, and is leaning more towards Middlesbrough.
“But we’re still in the picture. If he decides, we’ve spoken with Tim (Walter) and if he decides we’ll be happy to take him. He’s a very good player with potential, in the end, it comes back to the same point, if someone wants to not choose us or choose another club, happy days, we’ll find a better option.
“It’s about the club, our plan, the fans and our chairman’s dream. If a player goes to another club I’m not going to say anything negative but look at the positive, maybe it’s not meant to be for us. We want players to come here and do something special so they need to believe in the project. We are talking to two other strikers and in a very good state. We’ll be good with the striker position.”
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