Man City make enquiries for Middlesbrough star | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola's team have taken a closer look at Rav Van den Berg, who doesn't look set to leave the Riverside in January.

Manchester City have made "tentative" enquiries for Middlesbrough defender Rav Van den Berg.

This is according to Boro News, with Pep Guardiola's side emerging as a potential rival for Crystal Palace in the race for the Dutchman.

Palace's interest comes as no surprise, considering they have richly benefitted from recruiting from EFL teams before.

They may not have seen the best of Malcolm Ebiowei thus far, but Michael Olise was a real asset before his move to Bayern Munch and Eberechi Eze continues to be a key man at Selhurst Park.

According to Football Insider, the Eagles have kept a close eye on Van den Berg over the past 18 months and are prepared to make a move for him when the January transfer window opens, with Oliver Glasner keen to strengthen his team's defence and seemingly being impressed by what they saw of the defender.

However, they are unlikely to be alone in their quest to secure a deal for the player, who remains under contract at the Riverside until the summer of 2027.

It's been reported that Glasner's side are just one of numerous sides that are currently interested in a move for the defender, so it won't be an easy task for the Eagles to secure a deal.

But it may also be difficult for Boro to hold on to him for too long if he continues to generate interest - because the Teesside outfit would have brought him in to try and make a profit in the future.

And to avoid losing him for a small fee or for free, Michael Carrick's side will probably need to consider every high offer that comes in.

Manchester City among teams interested in Rav van den Berg

City, according to Boro News, have made a number of enquiries for van den Berg, though it remains to be seen whether they will make a bid in January.

They aren't the only team interested in him, with Palace reported to be in the mix and Bundesliga teams now thought to be interested in the centre-back, even though he has spent a chunk of the season out injured.

Boro News believe Carrick's side aren't prepared to sanction a mid-season exit for the 20-year-old, and with this in mind, it looks as though interested teams will have to wait until the summer to give themselves a good chance of securing an agreement.

The same report adds that both Van den Berg and Hayden Hackney will leave the club next summer if they aren't promoted.

Lack of game time could keep Rav Van den Berg at Middlesbrough

With Van den Berg spending time on the sidelines, that could persuade teams to wait until the summer to recruit him.

And it looks as though he will seal a move away from the Riverside at that point if they aren't promoted.

With this in mind, the Dutchman just needs to keep his head down and do as well as he can for the remainder of the season.

Not only will this aid his personal development, but it will also increase his chances of competing in a top European division next term, regardless of how his current team does during the 2024/25 campaign.

It will be interesting to see where he ends up next, though Boro should be looking to retain him for as long as they possibly can without jeopardising their chances of making a profit on him.