Exclusive: What Don Goodman thinks about Middlesbrough, Preston North End transfer race for "very impressive" EFL star | OneFootball

Speaking exclusively with FLW, Don Goodman has been discussing Boro and Preston's interest in Salford City star Kelly N'Mai.

Middlesbrough and Preston North End are understood to have made enquiries over the signing of Salford City star Kelly N'Mai.

As per a recent Football League World exclusive, both Boro and North End are keeping tabs on the versatile 21-year-old Ammies forward.

Salford boss, Karl Robinson, has recently suggested that the club shouldn't accept offers of over £1m for the Dutchman, as Football Insider also claim that Bolton Wanderers have seen a bid rejected for the attacker.

Don Goodman makes Middlesbrough, Preston Kelly N'Mai transfer claim

Speaking exclusively with Football League World, we asked Sky Sports pundit and former player, Don Goodman: 'FLW understands Middlesbrough and Preston have made enquiries for highly-rated Salford forward Kelly N'Mai. Do you think he's got the ability to step up into the Championship with either of those clubs?'

Goodman said: "Terrific season last season at Salford, Kelly N'Mai.

"Very impressive numbers, very, very versatile player who scored nine goals and got five assists in just 28 League Two starts.

"So all in all, an outstanding season. When you're having outstanding seasons in Leagues One and Two, invariably clubs higher up the gravy train are going to notice you.

"Middlesbrough and Preston appear to be the two. The question is, 'do you think he's got the ability to step up into the Championship?'; I've never seen him play.

"But, you only find out one way, and that's when it happens."

Kelly N'Mai appears to fit both Middlesbrough and Preston's respective recruitment models

Both Preston and Middlesbrough's respective transfer strategies and recruitment models are both largely centered around the signing of young players, who they can then sell on for profit in the future.

We've seen Boro do that to great effect in recent times, with big-money profits generated through the sales of Morgan Rogers and Emmanuel Latte Lath, for example.

As for the Lilywhites, they've already shown a commitment to that this summer with the signing of Charlton winger Thierry Small, with Lewis Gibson, Milutin Osmajic, Mads Frokjaer-Jensen, Alistair McCann all recent examples of North End targeting younger players too at their respective time of arrivals at Deepdale.

Both Boro and Preston are always looking to complete business-savvy and shrewd deals, and therefore, N'Mai would certainly appear to tick a lot of boxes for both clubs.

The 21-year-old is evidently a player with a lot of potential, having established himself as one of the brightest young talents in the EFL off the back of his 2024/25 campaign with Salford.

As such, he could well be a player that commands a big price tag in a few years' time, and so whilst he's still plying his trade in League Two and potentially available for a relatively low price, Middlesbrough and Preston could surely do worse than to take a gamble on Salford's flying Dutchman.