Middlesbrough may have ideal midfield solution lined up based on Leeds United evidence | OneFootball

Glen Kamara could bring some key ingredients into Middlesbrough's midfield ranks.

Middlesbrough are understood to have identified Rennes midfielder Glen Kamara as a potential target before the end of the January transfer window.

The former Leeds United man is reported to be a player that Boro do have on their shortlist, as head coach Michael Carrick looks to bolster his options ahead of a big play-off push in the coming months.

A Finland international, the 29-year-old left Elland Road in the summer, signing for French Ligue 1 side Rennes in a deal understood to be worth around £8m.

However, that move hasn't quite gone to plan so far, as he's struggled to lock down a starting role for the Brittany-based outfit, and as such, it would appear that he is already eyeing up an escape route.

So, despite only spending one season in West Yorkshire, what Kamara was able to show in a Leeds shirt last season would strongly suggest that he could go a long way to fixing some of Middlesbrough's midfield issues they've encountered so far this term.

Glen Kamara's Leeds United performances would suggest he could fix major issue in Middlesbrough's midfield

Some players make a living out of being a 7/10 every week, and Kamara certainly brought that level of consistency and quality to Daniel Farke's midfield last season.

Under Farke, Leeds have almost exclusively deployed in a 4-2-3-1 system - a formation that the German coach has long favoured -, which is very handy should Kamara make the move to Teesside, as that is the formation Carrick employs as well.

Comfortable playing as either an eight or a six in a central midfield pairing, the Finn played the role of always being available for a pass to perfection last term. He was simply a wall in the middle of the park, enabling his teammates to bounce passes off him in order to keep possession of the ball.

Having enjoyed a career that's seen him make bags of appearances in the Europa League as well as a number of Champions League outings from his four-and-a-half years with Rangers, Kamara is a wise and experienced campaigner who oozes calm and confidence on the ball.

Assurance and ball retention ability have been two of Middlesbrough's biggest problems in central midfield over the last few months, but Kamara would bring both of those traits in abundance to Carrick's side.

Michael Carrick should still look to complete Glen Kamara deal despite return of Aidan Morris

One of the main reasons why Boro's engine room has been struggling in recent times has been because of the extended absence of summer signing Aidan Morris.

Injured whilst on USA national team duties in mid-November, the 23-year-old had started his debut season on Teesside in superb form, and evidently was the glue that held Boro's midfield together.

Since then, the partnership of Hayden Hackney and Dan Barlaser simply hasn't worked, with a noticeable lack of energy, bite, nous and ball retention present in most performances.

Now that Morris has recovered from his injury and is back in the Boro side, many Middlesbrough supporters will hope to see the return of those ingredients into the heart of their team.

However, Carrick and his staff shouldn't rest on their laurels, as should the American be struck down with injury once again, the Teessiders can't afford to see their midfield revert back to being a dysfunctional unit.

Middlesbrough have a major chance of securing a play-off place this season, but in a system that relies so heavily on his team dictating the tempo of games and winning that midfield battle, the two central midfield positions are arguably the most important and conductive to success.

Therefore, adding a player like Kamara into the midfield ranks would provide Carrick with that extra piece of top quality depth ahead of Boro's big promotion push.