Middlesbrough should revisit Oxford United link to fill Morgan Rogers hole: View | OneFootball

The sale of Morgan Rogers in the January transfer window left a hole in the Middlesbrough squad, following his move to Premier League side Aston Villa.

The former Manchester City winger joined the club in the summer, but after some impressive performances at the Riverside earned himself interest from the Premier League.

After a month of rumours and transfer bids, Rogers made the move to Aston Villa, with Boro pocketing a reported £15 million transfer fee for their star man.

This deal took place on deadline day, so Boro had little time to sign a replacement for the winger. Manager Michael Carrick will be looking to sign a new winger to take his place in the summer, and could look to the lower leagues to find his next signing.

One of the most impressive young players in League One this season has been Oxford United's Tyler Goodrham.

The versatile player has been utilized all over the pitch by Oxford boss Des Buckingham so far this season. Goodrham has played in midfield, on the wings and behind the striker in his 31 appearances in League One, during an impressive season for the U's.

With Oxford currently sitting inside the top six, they could potentially win promotion to the Championship if the likes of Goodrham continue to perform.

, showing how crucial the forward is to United.

Goodrham's seven goals have come from just 2.24 expected goals. This shows his incredible clinical finishing ability, although there will be worries that this overperformance could be unsustainable in the future.

However, his time at Oxford could be soon coming to an end. Goodrham mentioned in January that he had aspirations to play in the Premier League, which are unlikely to be fulfilled by the U's in the next few years.

This could open the door for Carrick to swoop in and make Goodrham his next big transfer in the summer.

He could be a long-term replacement for Rogers at Boro

Boro could target Goodrham as a long-term replacement for Rogers, as they continue their challenge for Premier League promotion.

Due to the winger's admittance to wanting to play in the Premier League, a move to promotion hopeful's Boro could be the ideal move for the 20-year-old.

While it is unlikely that a top tier side will be taking a punt on a player who has only had two full seasons in League One, he could prove a cut-price replacement for the man Boro sold to Villa in the January transfer window.

Goodrham shares some similarities with the former Man City forward. Both can play all across the front four, although Goodrham has also been utilized even deeper when needed.

The Oxford man outscored Rogers this season, although Rogers ranked among the most creative players in the Championship during his spell at the Riverside.

However, the Oxford man provides more of an attacking threat in his team, which could cause a shift in Carrick's tactics should he bring in the winger on a transfer deal in the summer.

With seven goals compared to Rogers two in the league, he is a clear asset to have in the attack, and could easily improve under the tutelage of one of England's most impressive young managers, even with his creative ability lacking compared to the former Boro forward.

Despite signing a new contract in January, Goodrham could be a cut-price option for Boro in the summer. The transfer fee reported for Rogers included a 25% sell on fee for Man City, which further reduces the amount of money the club can spend on a replacement.

The record fee received for a League One player is around £8 million, and Goodrham is nowhere near the profile of the likes of Fabien Delph and Ademola Lookman during their moves away from the league.

The player will likely command a multi-million pound fee due to his new contract, but should provide a cheaper alternative to Rogers if Boro are targeting a more cost-effective transfer in the summer.