Middlesbrough have rejected two offers from Championship clubs for striker Jordan Rhodes, according to manager Aitor Karanka.
The Spaniard, speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Boro's vital game at the bottom of the table against West Ham, said that neither offer matched the club's valuation of the player.
However, he confirmed that should Rhodes want to leave the club and an acceptable offer be received, he will not stand in his way as the Karanka looks to reshape his front line this January.
'He's here and he's training well'
"If the right offer comes in and he wants to leave then for sure [he can be sold]," Karanka stated.
"The club has received two offers but they weren’t enough, so he’s here and training really well."
Rhodes is thought to be likely to leave the club this window with his path to the first team blocked by Alvaro Negredo, as well as new signings Rudy Gestede and Patrick Bamford.
He is yet to score a goal this season but has seen his opportunities limited by tactical decisions and bad luck, and is high on the transfer wishlists of numerous clubs in the second tier.
Rhodes not an obvious tactical fit
Former strike partner David Nugent has already left for Derby County in search of first-team minutes, and it is unclear where Rhodes will fit into Karanka's tactical plans.
Boro usually prefer to play a lone centre-forward, though Karanka has said that he does not expect the popular returning Bamford to play alone up front.
With the club fighting relegation and looking to bring in new faces during the current transfer window, chairman Steve Gibson would likely prefer to see some cash flow back into the club, though he will want to recoup most of the £11 million eventually paid for the player after he helped Boro to promotion last season.
On the other hand, Karanka may prefer to keep hold of the poacher with the possibility of relegation still lingering. In this case, a loan move could potentially be sanctioned with Rhodes either remaining or being sold on at the end of the current campaign.