Middlesbrough are keen on signing Udinese forward Stipe Perica, according to reports in Italy.

The Croatian spent three years at Chelsea without playing a single game for the Blues before being sold to Udinese for £4m in 2016.

Since moving to the Bianconeri on a permanent basis, Perica hasn’t really established himself as a first team player, and he was loaned out to fellow Serie A side Frosinone at the start of this campaign.

However, things haven’t worked out for him so far, having played just eight times during his loan spell at the club and failing to score a single goal.

Perica has been an unused substitute for Frosinone’s last three league games, and it seems his season-long loan will be cut short in January.

Boro have reportedly already registered their interest in the 23-year-old, but they could face competition from Serie B side Pescara who are also said to be looking at the striker.