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Middlesbrough's immediate focus will be on Saturday's crunch Premier League trip to Manchester City - but reports today suggest the club are pressing ahead with their recruitment strategy off-the-field.

Boro have today been linked with a move for highly-rated African teenager William Opeku Asiedu in the Ghanaian press.

The transfer window does not open until January 1, yet there's plenty of other Premier League tittle-tattle filling the transfer gossip columns.

Here's a round-up of what's floating around today.

Boro 'close to signing African teenager'

Middlesbrough are hopeful of completing a move for African super-kid William Opeku Asiedu, according to reports.

Reports in Ghana suggest the 19-year-old has been on Teesside and will sign a deal with the club, before being loaned to a club in France or Belgium.

Okyeman Planners midfielder Asiedu scored 11 goals last season, and was a member of Ghana's Under-20 team which failed to quality for this year's African Youth Championship.

According to GhanaSoccernet , promising talent Asiedu was spotted by Thiago Cruz, Boro’s Head of Academy Recruitment, who visited the West African nation in September on a scouting mission.

Cruz planned meetings with a leading sports agency and big-wigs from some of Ghana’s biggest clubs, with Boro hoping to expand their scouting network on the continent.

A Teesside delegation were also said to have met the Ghanaian FA and influential journalists.

It is hoped a partnership can be developed that will help Boro spot rising stars from Ghana early in their career.

Negredo 'open to permanent stay'

One we brought you earlier, with on-loan striker Alvaro Negredo revealing he would consider a permanent move to Boro .

The 31-year-old will stay at the Riverside until the end of the season, but then faces a decision over whether to return to parent club Valencia.

Talking to The Sun , Negredo revealed he is hoping to put down "personal roots" in England - and was asked whether he'd be keen to stay on Teesside for the long-term.

"It is an option, certainly," Negredo said. "I am definitely going to be putting down more personal roots here, because my next child is going to be born in this area.

“And I would like my kids to have the opportunity to learn a second language.

“But first of all I am concentrating on performing well this season and then we will see what happens.”

Liverpool set Coutinho price-tag

One man likely to be in-demand during the January window is Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho, but it doesn't sound like Jurgen Klopp is willing to part with the midfield talisman on the cheap.

The Reds have placed a £68m price tag on Coutinho, according to Le 10 Sport , with Real Madrid and Barcelona both reportedly keen on the Brazilian.

(Image: Getty Images)

But Klopp and the Liverpool hierarchy are reportedly not wanting to sell their star man, who has scored four goals in the Premier League this season.

As a result, they have put a large price tag on his head in a bid to put off potential suitors.