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Boro fringe forward Rudy Gestede has emerged as a deadline day target for struggling Millwall.

The Championship basement battlers want the targetman on loan to deal with a crisis up front.

And with Boro looking to create space in the squad and the wage-bill for their own reinforcements, club chiefs would be willing to let him go.

Neil Harris has been left striker light by injuries. Big summer signing Tom Bradshaw did a cruciate before Christmas and Tom Elliott has since been sidelined by a dislocated shoulder.

That leaves Millwall with just Lee Gregory and ageing warhorse Steve Morison, 35, to call on.

The Lions are deep in a relegation battle. Having made a play-off push last term they have failed to spark in this campaign and are looking vulnerable, just three places and five points above the drop spots.

(Image: PA)

Harris believes Boro’s 6ft 4in Benin international would suit their direct style of play, winning the knockdowns for Lee Gregory to feed off.

The clubs are understood to be haggling over how much of his wage the Lions would pick up.

Gestede, 30, has looked a frustrated and forlorn figure at Boro since his £6m arrival from Aston Villa in January 2017.

In two injury-dogged years he has made 21 starts, come off the bench 27 times and scored six goals but only four in league games.

He barely featured in the relegation battle under Aitor Karanka and scored just once in nine games.

Under Steve Agnew he played 10 games and netted once but looked uncomfortable and took some stick for a missed sitter at Swansea.

Under Garry Monk he featured only 10 times. After starting games early on and getting the winner against Sheffield United his outings became more sporadic.

He was reinstated to the team under Tony Pulis as Boro went more direct and got three goals in 12 games before suffering a serious ankle in a 3-1 home win over Hull when he had bagged a brace.

He returned for a subdued appearance off the bench in the play-off semi-final second leg draw at Aston Villa in May but this season has slipped well down the pecking order with just seven appearances, three of them in the cup. He hasn’t scored.

But his aerial presence and ability to play the targetman role has caught the eye of Harris who hopes to push through a deal.

There has been some other tentative interest in Gestede during the January window too.

Ipswich made an early loan inquiry for the striker - and Grant Leadbitter - but Paul Lambert later admitted that he couldn’t make the numbers stack up while it is understood Gestede wasn’t keen on a switch to the rock bottom outfit.

But while he may not have found East Anglia attractive, living in London may be another matter that could sweeten the deal.

There are some suggestions that fellow strugglers Wigan may be interested if star striker Will Grigg completes his mooted move to Sunderland, although the Latics also have other targets.