Middlesbrough, Ipswich Town and Southampton's chances of signing ex-Leeds United star become clearer | OneFootball

Glen Kamara could be heading to Saudi Arabia.

Middlesbrough, Ipswich Town and Southampton could miss out on Glen Kamara, with Rennes believed to be in advanced dialogue with Al-Shabab of the Saudi Pro League.

This is according to renowned transfer specialist, Fabrizio Romano, who has linked the former Leeds United man with a move away from France in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Kamara was most recently in England just last year with the Whites forking out £5 million to sign him in the summer of 2023.

Having enjoyed a fruitful spell under the guidance of Daniel Farke, the Finnish midfielder departed for new pastures in the summer with Rennes signing him for a reported fee of €10 million.

Unfortunately, the move to Les Rouge et Noirs hasn't succeeded with the 29-year-old accruing just 660 minutes of Ligue 1 gametime across 13 matches, and it now seems that his time will end with them prematurely.

Middlesbrough, Southampton and Ipswich to miss out on Kamara

As detailed in the aforementioned post, Romano is reporting that Al-Shabab are in advanced negotiations to sign Kamara as their new midfielder.

This will bring concern to Middlesbrough, Southampton and Ipswich, who all previously showed an interest in offering the Finnish international a chance to return to England.

According to L'Équipe, Boro were keen on taking him on loan with his deal at Roazhon Park running until 2028. This may have been a factor for Rennes in deciding not to send him to the Riverside, with permanent interest clear from elsewhere.

For Michael Carrick's side, this would have been an expensive deal and, without significant outgoings, it appears that his signature was possibly beyond Boro.

With Kamara now unlikely to make the move to the North East, it must be seen as a missed opportunity for play-off-chasing Middlesbrough.

Last year at Leeds, he showcased his ability to shield the defence and initiate attacks from the back. This is precisely the type of contribution Carrick requires in his side, as their one weakness remains their defensive frailty.

This season, they have conceded 36 goals in 29 matches, with mistakes becoming a frequent occurrence, as witnessed in the defeat to Preston North End.

Nevertheless, they must now look past the Rennes man and with George Edmundson returning on a permanent spell and Ryan Giles signing on loan, they will feel a little more optimistic about refining that area of the pitch.