Middlesbrough and Watford join Rangers FC in race for Southampton loanee | OneFootball

Championship duo Middlesbrough and Watford are both interested in signing Mason Holgate in January if he is recalled from his loan spell at Southampton, according to The Sun.

Currently plying his trade for the Saints, his game time at St Mary's has been limited by the likes of Jan Bednarek and Taylor Harwood-Bellis, and he hasn't been able to secure regular starts despite being able to operate at both centre-back and full-back.

With other options ahead of him in the pecking order and the player failing to impress during his time on the south coast, he has made just five league appearances this term.

Sunderland.

Holgate was heavily criticised for his display against the Black Cats - and even he has gone on to admit that he was out of his depth in that game.

Failing to make a good first impression, that has set the tone for much of his stay at the Saints and an update has been provided on whether he's likely to be recalled by Everton in January, with a number of clubs taking an interest in him.

Scottish Premiership side Rangers are seemingly in the race for the 27-year-old too.

A couple of reports have now stated that the Toffees are planning to bring Holgate back to Goodison Park, with both The Sun and Football Insider reporting this.

This news doesn't come as a massive shock considering he has only made five Championship appearances this season, something that will disappoint him considering the Saints have played 20 league games so far this term.

Quite frankly, he isn't winning enough first-team football at this stage and with the south-coast side continuing to extend their unbeaten run in their promotion quest, the prospect of Holgate returning to the starting lineup anytime soon appears slim.

An injury could change things for him - but he won't want to rely on that to secure game time.

Mason Holgate could be a suitable addition for Middlesbrough and Watford

With Darragh Lenihan out for the remainder of the season, Boro are in need of a new central defender and Holgate could be a decent addition for Michael Carrick.

Having Premier League experience under his belt, Carrick will be expecting the 27-year-old to be an asset in a team looking to push for promotion.

However, what the Toffees demand in January will probably determine if he would be a good signing or not.

He can't be guaranteed game time at the Riverside, because who performs best should be given the chance to shine.

Vicarage Road seems to be a good environment at the moment, so the Hornets will be another attractive option for Holgate.

They are going under the radar a bit under Valerien Ismael - and spending the rest of the season in Hertfordshire may not be a bad option for the defender if he plays regularly.