Middlesbrough and Sunderland in race for winger Blackburn Rovers failed to sign | OneFootball

Topi Keskinen is said to be of interest to the Championship pair this summer, after impressing for HJK Helsinki in his homeland

Middlesbrough and Sunderland are both said to be interested in bringing HJK Helsinki winger Topi Keskinen to the club this summer, who was previously of interest to Blackburn Rovers.

That’s according to Eetu Ikola from Finnish outlet MTV, who states that the north east pair are both admirers of the young talent, although neither have submitted a bid at time of writing.

The duo are said to have been in contact with the player’s camp to make their interest known this summer, although his club are reportedly holding out for a hefty transfer fee to allow him to leave.

Rovers and Aberdeen are both rumoured to have had interest in the wide man in the past, with both clubs having offers rejected by the Finnish outfit.

Middlesbrough and Sunderland express interest in Topi Keskinen after Blackburn Rovers bid rejected

With the Finnish season playing through the summer, Keskinen is currently in full flow in the Veikkausliiga with the capital side as it stands, with another goal to add to his collection in last weekend’s 2-0 victory over FC Haka.

That marked his sixth goal for the club in 16 league appearances this season, and goes to show why the Championship pair are both reportedly tracking him ahead of a summer move.

It was reported earlier this year that Blackburn were tracking the young star, as they reportedly made a bid that was just below the one million euro mark in January, but HJK were not willing to accept.

Aberdeen were also reported to have made an even bigger offer for the 21-year-old, but once again, HJK were hanging on for a bigger offer for their star man, as interest in him only continues to rise.

With the winger currently embroiled in a title battle with KuPS and SJK at the top of the table at the minute, the last thing they will want to do is part ways with one of their main attacking threats.

So, if the northeast sides are serious about their intentions for the Finnish youth international, they will have to stump up the cash to bring him to England.

Middlesbrough, Sunderland, on the hunt for attacking personnel

Both Middlesbrough and Sunderland have been looking to bolster their attacking ranks this summer, with the Teessiders already bringing in Delano Burgzorg to the club from German side Mainz.

The Dutchman spent the previous season with Huddersfield Town in the second tier, but was unable to help to Terriers avoid the drop into League One.

With fellow wide man Sam Silvera allowed to leave the club for fellow Championship side Portsmouth this summer, Michael Carrick [pictured] seems to still be looking for further attacking reinforcements in the weeks to come, with Keskinen possessing the pace and skill that makes him the sort of player the former Manchester United man loves.

Sunderland have also acted to bring in Ian Poveda recently, with the talented wide man joining the club after departing Leeds United in the summer, having impressed on loan at Sheffield Wednesday in the second-half of the previous campaign.

With the futures of Jack Clarke and Jobe Bellingham still up in the air as the transfer window continues, a move for Keskinen could pave the way for a departure for one of their star names, with the club likely to make a healthy profit on the departing playmakers as a result.