Exclusive: Middlesbrough eyeing free transfer move for Peterborough United ace in the summer | OneFootball

Boro are set to reignite their interest in Posh striker Ricky-Jade Jones as the line up a summer swoop for the set to be free agent.

Middlesbrough are keeping tabs on Peterborough striker Ricky-Jade Jones ahead of the summer, having weighed up a move for the player in January, sources have exclusively told Football League World.

It was revealed in January that the 22-year-old is a player that Boro have scouted, with it being believed that the Posh striker was on a list of potential targets that Middlesbrough's hierarchy had come up with, but it was understood that he was someone who the club didn't hold a concrete interest in signing.

With Emmanuel Latte Lath's record-breaking move to MLS side Atlanta United not being finalised until the final hours of the winter window, the Teessiders instead secured the loan signing of Sevilla striker Kelechi Iheanacho.

A host of Championship clubs also expressed an interest in signing the pacey centre-forward during January, with Cardiff City seeing a bid rejected, whilst Luton Town, Norwich City and Sheffield United also linked with the striker, who is set to be out of contract at the Weston Homes Stadium in the summer.

Middlesbrough lining up summer swoop for out of contract Peterborough United striker Ricky-Jade Jones

Football League World can exclusively reveal that the Teessiders are lining up a summer swoop for Peterborough's prolific young striker, who is out of contract at the Weston Homes Stadium at the end of the season.

Under the tenureship of head coach Michael Carrick and head of football Kieran Scott, Middlesbrough have shown themselves to be highly shrewd operators in the transfer market in recent times.

Should they be able to snap up Jade Jones on a cheap deal this summer, then that would have to be filed under another very impressive piece of business by the club.

Boro would not be able to get Jones for a complete freebie though, with regulations meaning that compensation will need to be paid to Peterborough due to the rapid forward being under the age of 24.

If the two clubs cannot agree a package, then such a move would have to be left to a tribunal to decide Jones' value in any potential deal.

Losing a player of Latte Lath's quality is a significant blow for the Teessiders, with the Ivorian international bringing much more to Carrick's side than his goals.

The 26-year-old was excellent in the air despite his modest stature, whilst providing a constant threat in-behind with his blistering pace and acceleration.

Jade-Jones would certainly bring those qualities back to Boro's squad, however. In fact, his reported best 100m time is an unbelievably quick 10.9 seconds. To put that into context, Usain Bolt's world record time over the same distance stands at 9.58 seconds.

Middlesbrough's recruitment model very much revolves around the identification, recruitment, development and then selling on of talent, particularly younger players, and Jade Jones looks to have bags of potential to land a lucky club a major return on their investment in the future.