Middlesbrough striker confronts Millwall transfer speculation after Michael Carrick comments

Middlesbrough striker Josh Coburn is thriving on loan at Millwall this season and the Lions’ boss Alex Neil has made no secret of his desire to keep the 22-year-old permanently.

The forward is at The Den for the season but is currently due to return to Boro at the end of the campaign. Michael Carrick has spoken out about the player’s future in recent weeks and effectively hinted that he may have a part to play in the North East next term.

Coburn, who spent part of the international break back home up north, has four Championship goals this season in a campaign that has been stop-start due to injury. Two of those goals have come in the last five league outings and secured wins against Derby County and Watford.

Josh Coburn ‘loving’ Millwall loan spell

In a new interview with The South London Press Football Pod, Coburn said: “I’ve loved my time down here. I think for me, it’s best to concentrate on this season and getting to the summer, then conversations can take place. A lot of things aren’t in my hands, it’s down to Boro and what they want and everything like that. All I can say is that I’ve loved my time down here and loved playing for this club.

“I think Boro have been quite good where they’ve said concentrate on this season and knuckle down here and see where it takes you. I don’t want any distractions on the season, I know there’s speculation but I just need to concentrate on game by game and wait until the summer comes.

“The gaffer has been brilliant with me ever since I’ve come in. I was injured when I first came and he’s been really good with taking me out at times and being really cautious with my injury. The last thing he wants is for me to get injured again, he’s been really good for me and I’ve loved working with him.”

Those comments come after Neil explicitly admitted that the club would ‘like to try and keep Josh here beyond where we’re at now’. The head coach labelled that transfer as an ‘important’ move and has labelled Coburn as the type of player that fits his style of play.

Middlesbrough not guaranteed to sanction Coburn transfer

Middlesbrough boss Carrick has also given his opinion on the situation in quotes that suggest a permanent transfer is far from guaranteed. The Northern Echo points out that Boro sold talisman Emmanuel Latte Lath in January and added that it is ‘unlikely’ that temporary replacement Kelechi Iheanacho will be signed on a permanent basis.

Should the Teeside club decide not to make a permanent move for the Sevilla loanee, that would leave them short of options in the striking department and could make Coburn an important part of their first team plans. Carrick appeared to hint at a potential return into the side.

The manager said: “Josh is doing well since he came back. He's had a stop-start season, so it's good to see him doing well and scoring goals. He's scored some important goals for them [Millwall].

“He's there until the end of the season, and that's it as far as it stands at this stage. There’s not much for me to decide on at this stage. Anything can happen in football.

“Until something is decided or finished or done, it's ongoing. Everything is. That doesn't change for Josh, or anybody else. Sometimes, you might not be in the team here, then all of a sudden, you get an opening and it all changes. There's never anything that's all said and done until it's all signed off.”

In other news, the EFL has appointed a Sunderland v Millwall referee who had to apologise after Black Cats 'gaffe' in October.