Boro loan man attracting plenty of transfer interest with future uncertain

Browne made 42 appearances for Boro last term, scoring four goals and adding three assists. In a sign of his importance, he missed only four games after his slightly late arrival on Teesside.

He enjoyed a particularly fruitful period in January, scooping the Championship Player of the Month award alongside Kim Hellberg, who scooped the Manager’s gong. It followed three goals and one assist in five consecutive wins.

With Browne’s loan at Boro concluding at the end of the season, however, his next career move is uncertain, with one year remaining on his lucrative Sunderland contract.

But his form at Boro, where he often played a hybrid midfield-forward role for Hellberg, as well as his vast Championship experience is said to have alerted a number of Championship clubs, who are monitoring his situation closely.

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As per the Lancashire Telegraph, Tony Mowbray’s Blackburn Rovers are said to be one of the interested clubs, though sources have indicated that a deal will be tough given the number of other clubs also keen.

Nothing is expected to be resolved any time soon with regards to Browne’s future, with the 31-year-old part of Sunderland’s squad for the pre-season tour of the USA. That concludes with a friendly against Wrexham in Pennsylvania, on Sunday, August 2.

It seems unlikely he stays at Sunderland for the upcoming season, though the Wearsiders may need a little more squad depth next term as they prepare for a season juggling the Premier League schedule with the Europa League too.

As for Boro, the last indication was that a return to the Riverside was unlikely for the Ireland international. Boro are pursuing other options currently, with Sebastian Berhalter close to signing, and at least one more midfield signing expected.

Middlesbrough are preparing for a big summer as they look to rebuild from the heartarche of missing out on promotion to the Premier League.

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