Aitor Karanka has made it clear that he is looking to strengthen his Middlesbrough team in January and according to The Guardian, Rudy Gestede is to come to Teesside in a £6.5 million deal.
Boro looking to bolster
It has been no secret that Middlesbrough need to score more goals if they are to ensure survival in the Premier League.
Boro boss Karanka will want to add some fire power to his squad in the first transfer window of 2017, and he is looking to Aston Villa for the third time this season.
Rudy Gestede was signed by Tim Sherwood during the summer of Aston Villa's relegation season, but Karanka believes that the Benin international can add some goals to Boro's side.
Gestede, who was at the Riverside to see Middlesbrough go down 3-0 against Liverpool, scored five times last campaign which is equal to Boro's current top scorer Alvaro Negredo.
The Teesside outfit are willing to pay £6.5 million for this services, and he would follow former Villa players Adama Traore and Brad Guzan through the doors at Rockliffe.
Would Middlesbrough have to sell to bring in Gestede?
Due to the bumper deal that Boro secured by getting promotion, there is no rush to send any player out the door.
There would, however, be movement within the club due to the fact that Middlesbrough would then have four players able to play in the one striker position.
One of Jordan Rhodes or David Nugent would be likely to leave the club, if not both. Rhodes would command a bigger fee but he has been in Karanka's thoughts more than the former Leicester and Preston front man.
Both strikers have been linked with moves away, but it remains to be seen whether the arrival of Gestede would spell the end for the forwards currently at Middlesbrough.