Source: Northern_Echo
Hulse target again as Tuncay to follow Huth
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Gareth Southgate will resurrect his interest in Derby striker Rob Hulse if Tuncay Sanli follows Robert Huths lead and joins Stoke City.
Huth completed a £5m move to the Britannia Stadium yesterday evening after Boro officials accepted offers for both the German centrehalf and his Turkish teammate.
Stoke boss Tony Pulis expects Tuncay to sign on the dotted line this morning to complete an £11m double departure from the Riverside, despite the attacker initially expressing reluctance about a move to the Potteries.
Tuncay had been hoping for a move to a more glamorous Premier League outfit, but with Aston Villa and Birmingham showing little desire to follow up their initial interest, Stoke currently represent his only Premier League option ahead of Tuesdays transfer deadline.
Southgate is poised to enter the transfer market himself if Tuncay severs his ties with the Teessiders, and Hulse remains his number one target as he seeks to improve his attacking options.
With Emanuel Pogatetz and Chris Riggott due to return from injury at the end of next months international break, and Seb Hines, Rhys Williams and Jonathan Grounds able to provide back-four cover in the interim, Southgate will not be signing a defensive replacement for Huth.
But with Afonso Alves still expected to depart, despite a series of setbacks relating to a proposed move to Qatari side Al-Saad, the Boro boss will step up his search for a striker in the event of Tuncay leaving the Riverside.
The out-of-contract Danny Webber represents a cut-price attacking option, and the former Sheffield United forward visited Boros Rockliffe Park training ground for exploratory talks this summer.
Hulse remains Southgates preferred option though, and while Derby have been quoting a £5m asking price, sources in the Midlands suggest they would be willing to accept a lower valuation.
With Robert, we have Chris and Emanuel to come in, and thats before we start thinking about the likes of Seb, Rhys and Jonathan, said Southgate.
Its an area where we have cover. But if Tuncay was to go wed need a striker in, theres no question about that.
There are several players and clubs weve been in contact with, but until theres anything positive to report I cant really go any further than that.
All I can do is put names in the frame for different price brackets, depending on what we have to spend.
There are certain players Id love to bring to the football club, but finance will dictate a lot of that.
Thats understandable. We have to work within the parameters that are set and I dont have an issue with that.
Those parameters have effectively dictated the sale of Tuncay and Huth, although the desire of both players to appear in next summers World Cup was also an important factor.
Had Boro been playing in the Premier League, Southgate insists that neither would have been looking for a move away from Teesside this summer.
As it is, however, the pair have accepted that they are unlikely to feature in their respective national teams if they are competing in the Championship.
Tuncay is an international player who wants to play in the Premier League, said Southgate.
Hes loved his time here, but the challenge of this Championship promotion push isnt one that he wants at the moment.
I dont criticise him for that he has a World Cup year, as has Robert. Thats at the forefront of both of their minds.
I understand that, and I understand what we have to do as a football club.
In an ideal world, I dont think anybody at the club would have wanted to sell either player. But were not operating in an ideal world and theres a financial reality to what we have to do.
That financial reality has hastened Huths departure, with Boro accepting an initial £5m that could rise to £6m depending on performances and appearances.
The Germany international cost £6m when he arrived from Chelsea in August 2006.
He has made 62 appearances in a Middlesbrough career that has been hampered by a long-standing foot problem.
He wore the captains armband in the first four league games of the current campaign, with his partnership with David Wheater forming the bedrock of Boros rise to second in the Championship table.
The only frustration with Robert is that he came injured, so it took a long time before we saw him fully fit,said Southgate. At the end of last season, I thought he was one of the mentally strongest in the group and hes carried that into the start of this season.
Amid all of the speculation surrounding him, his focus has been incredible.
That was one of the reasons I made him captain.
Huth travelled to the Britannia Stadium to undergo a medical and conduct personal talks yesterday morning, and was confirmed as a Stoke player shortly before 7pm.
This is a fantastic signing because Robert gives us international pedigree and Premier League experience as well, said Stoke chief executive Tony Scholes.
Our manager Tony Pulis has been looking to strengthen the squad with the intention of taking us to an even higher level after we achieved a magnificent 12th place in the Premier League last season.
Robert is the type of player who can help us achieve that aim.
