Aitor Karanka trying to convince Jese Rodriguez to join Middlesbrough on loan
Thursday 26 January 2017 13:33, UK
Aitor Karanka says Middlesbrough have agreed a loan deal with Paris Saint-Germain for Jese Rodriguez and he is now trying to convince the forward to move to the Riverside.
The Boro boss worked with the 23-year-old at Real Madrid when he was assistant to Jose Mourinho and is keen on a reunion with his fellow Spaniard, who left the European champions in the summer to join PSG.
Jese has failed to settle in Paris and has made just nine Ligue 1 appearances so far this season following his big-money move in the summer.
When asked how strong the interest in the player was, Karanka said: "Massive. He's a player I have known for the last seven or eight years. I know his potential. I know his character.
"PSG paid €25m for him. He can bring us a lot of things so we are trying to convince him."
Karanka said he was trying to persuade Jese to make the move and believes it would be a "very big" signing for the club if they could pull it off.
"Yes, for him it's a really important move," he said. "The last five or six months have been difficult for him. He couldn't settle in the way he wanted. He knows this step is really important so he has to be sure. I am trying to convince him.
"He was playing for Real Madrid last season. He's a Champions League player, a young player with an amazing future in front of him."
Karanka also confirmed that Middlesbrough are still keen on signing Robert Snodgrass, despite Hull accepting bids from Burnley and West Ham for the Scottish international.
"He's a player I like. The club is working on offers with Hull. He's a player I like a lot. I think they rejected an offer from us but the club is working.
"You don't need to go to university to know [Hull don't want to sell to a rival] but he's a player who we like and who we want to bring here."
