Sunderland and Middlesbrough eye ex-Man Utd attacking midfielder | OneFootball

Northeastern duo Sunderland and Middlesbrough have been reported to have held talks with outgoing Manchester United teenager Omari Forson, who is set to leave the club when his contract expires this summer.

The ambitions of both teams for the 2024/25 campaign are clear: make a good stab at a promotion push. After falling short in Boro's case, and failing dismally in the case of the Black Cats, there is a clear understanding that strong additions will need to be made to improve both teams this summer.

In an attempt to add to what they already have, the two clubs were looking to add some young Premier League talent to their rosters in the form of 19-year-old Forson.

Sunderland and Middlesbrough's interest in Omari Forson

Forson has been reported to have held talks with the two Championship sides, as well as Newcastle United, after he decided that he would leave Old Trafford this summer, according to TBR Football.

The outlet further added that the teenager had rejected multiple contract offers from Man United, and informed them that he would be leaving last month.

Fabrizio Romano has reported that Forson will join Italian Club AC Monza as a free agent, and that he will sign a four-year deal with the Serie A outfit.

Because the Black Cats don't have a manager/head coach in place, it would have made any deal to get the United academy graduate to come to the Stadium of Light harder, as per TBR.

Forson made four Premier League appearances last season, and featured in United's FA Cup semi-final win over Coventry City.

Sunderland and Middlesbrough's latest transfer plans

With a potential promotion push in the minds of both sides, additions to put them over the top will be necessary. Sunderland have been linked with Scott Twine, who is set to leave Burnley in the summer. He had two separate loan spells in the second tier last season, and doesn't look to be part of the Clarets' plans going forward.

Boro want to complete a permanent move for former loanee Lewis O'Brien, if they can, this summer, according to journalist Alan Nixon. Although they are set to face competition from the likes of Ipswich Town for his signature.

O'Brien was with the Teesiders for the previous campaign, one that was severely disrupted by injuries for him.

Outgoings will be as much of a priority too for the two Championshiop clubs, whether that be offloading unwanted goods or keeping the ones that are.

The Northen Echo have reported that Michael Carrick would like to move on from full-back Anfernee Dijksteel in the summer window. Sunderland, on the other hand, are braced for an approach for star winger Jack Clarke, who is said to be a target of newly promoted Southampton.

Omari Forson would have been a smart signing for either side

One club has put more weight on their ethos of bringing in young players to develop and nurture them than the other, but both clubs work well with younger players.

Michael Carrick has certainly shown that he can take raw talents and begin to polish them and get them towards that final product.

Exactly where Forson would have fitted into his plans, or that of whoever becomes Sunderland's next head coach, isn't hugely clear. The two teams would have been solid options for him and his development, though, had he decided to go down this route, rather than the Italian one.