Source: Northern_Echo
Kitson is poised for Boro
GORDON STRACHAN is poised to make his third signing as Middlesbrough manager after lining up Stoke City striker Dave Kitson on a twomonth loan.[LNB] Kitson is expected to complete the move to the North- East within the next 48 hours and Strachan intends to have him available for Saturday's visit of Nottingham Forest.[LNB] Boro have been in talks with Stoke since last week and the Potters have been receptive, with the former Reading forward out of favour at the Britannia Stadium.[LNB] Providing there are no late hitches in the deal, Strachan will then use the remainder of the year to assess the merits of making the temporary switch a more permanent arrangement in January.[LNB] The Middlesbrough boss has made no secret of his desire to strengthen his attacking options, having witnessed his team lose 1-0 in his first two matches in charge, at Crystal Palace and to Plymouth.[LNB] Marcus Bent was the first to arrive and he made his first start for the club alongside Leroy Lita at Selhurst Park.[LNB] However, with Caleb Folan and Jeremie Aliadiere still ruled out through injury, Strachan has moved to add Kitson to his ranks and he is thought to be working on more deals.[LNB] Kitson, who moved to Stoke for £5.5m in the summer of last year, looked like he had resurrected his career under Tony Pulis when he scored three goals in four matches.[LNB] But Pulis has overlooked the 29-year-old for the last five Premier League matches and the return to fitness of Mama Sidibe meant he did not even make the bench against Wolves on October 31.[LNB] Kitson spent the last twoand- a-half months of last season on loan at former club Reading, but the Royals' failure to climb back into the topflight prevented him from sealing a permanent return.[LNB] As well as Bent, Strachan has also added Aston Villa midfielder Isaiah Osbourne since taking over last month and he is still on the look out for a right-midfielder.[LNB] Strachan, meanwhile, is not on the radar of the Scottish Football Association as one of the leading contenders to replaced George Burley, who was sacked yesterday.[LNB] SFA chiefs would prefer to appoint either Rangers manager Walter Smith or Strachan, but they are not in a position to be able to pay a hefty compensation bill.[LNB] With the 52-year-old only signing a three-and-a-half year contract at the Riverside a few weeks ago, the SFA would have to stump up a sizeable figure for his services.[LNB] Strachan and Smith were the leading contenders for the Scotland post in 2004, only for the SFA to eventually opt for the latter.[LNB] Boro fans have the chance to get a range of merchandise signed when past and present stars hold signing sessions at the club stores.[LNB] Gary O'Neil and Mark Yeates will both be involved, along with John Hendrie, John Hickton and John Craggs. O'Neil and Yeates will be signing official merchandise 4-5pm on Thursday in Captain Cook Square, Middlesbrough.[LNB] Hendrie, Hickton and Craggs will hold a double signing session on November 21 ahead of Boro's game with Nottingham Forest.[LNB] The first will be in the MFC official club store in Captain Cook Square, 10.30am- 11.30am, the second in the stadium store 12-1pm.[LNB]
