Report reveals failed Middlesbrough transfer attempt | OneFootball

Middlesbrough made an unsuccessful attempt to sign Andrey Lunev from Zenit St Petersburg this summer according to Sport24.

The Russian goalkeeper, Lunev, ended up moving to the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen beating the Teesside club to his signature. Boro picked up Luke Daniels towards the end of window, possibly a transfer target acquired further down the shortlist than where Lunev originally sat.

The seven-time Russia international’s agent spoke to Sport24, quotes provided by TeessideLive.

He said: “I had an offer from Middlesbrough for Andrey. But there was an offer from Bayer, and he accepted it. This was the desire of the player.

“Middlesbrough had fairly average money, even by Russian standards.”

A bit of a damning indictment of Boro’s capabilities in the transfer market but the club clearly did not want to overpay for Lunev, who was likely to come in only to offer competition for places with Joe Lumley anyway.

Are each of these 18 celebrities a Middlesbrough supporter or not?

1 of 18

Thelma Barlow?

Fan

Not a fan

The 29-year-old was not a regular for Zenit and is yet to play for Bayer Leverkusen so it seems unlikely Warnock is tearing his hair out after missing out on his signature. Boro have conceded six goals from their opening five outings, not a bad return but also not as watertight as Warnock will be striving for.

The Verdict

It was a bit of a surprise to see Joe Lumley sought after and thrown in as Middlesbrough’s number one this season. It is no slight on his ability that he was displaced by Seny Dieng at Queens Park Rangers, but his performances for the Londoners did not scream of a keeper who would command interest from a club with firm top six ambitions.

Boro have operated very smartly in the transfer market this summer and not overpaying for a Lunev is sensible. In Luke Daniels they have a 33-year-old with over 200 Football League appearances to add to the dressing room, Lunev’s impact off the pitch may not have been as productive.