MIDDLESBROUGH are set to make a decision on the future of defender Tommy Smith who has spent pre-season on trail with the club with manager Chris Wilder keen to add strength in depth to his squad.

Smith made his fourth appearance for the club over the summer during their 3-0 win over Morecambe in midweek coming off the bench in the second half. Manager Chris Wilder has been an admirer of the 30-year-old defender and brought him to Teesside to run the rule over the former Stoke City and Huddersfield Town man.

After his first appearance for the club against Bishop Auckland, Wilder hinted that a potential deal for Smith may hinge on the outcome of Djed Spence’s move to Tottenham Hotspur. His switch was completed yesterday with Boro set to earn a cash windfall of around £15 million which could rise to £20 million in potential add-ons.

After confirmation of Spence’s switch, Wilder didn’t pin his colours to the mast on a deal for Smith but he did admit that he still feels the club need to add strength in numbers to their squad – something that Smith can provide.

“Tommy can’t do anymore in terms of what he’s done since he come in, so we’ll just see how that concludes. He’s come in and done well” Wilder told The Northern Echo after their win in Lancashire.

“He’s a good character with good experience and good standards and play. We’ll see where that goes. We know we need strength in depth, and there are going to be two or three players who we’re bringing in to go straight into the first team and some that are about competition.

“Let’s put cards on the table, we’ve not brough Zack Steffen in to be a number two. He has to play well, which we feel he will do, but he’s coming in as number one. There are other players that we bring in will be potential starters. But I’m a massive believer in the group and Tommy understands the challenge if he does come in.

“We definitely need someone to come in and push a really talented young boy (Isaiah Jones) because things happen… injuries, suspension, loss of form or whatever, so we need competition for places. There will be some boys that come in just to give us that depth.”

While Smith is a viable option for Boro, their priority remains to add numbers to their attacking department before the start of the season.

Wilder’s squad is thin on the ground with strikers with Duncan Watmore and Josh Coburn currently making up their options in attack. The club have held discussions over moves for Newcastle United’s Dwight Gayle, Southampton striker Adam Armstrong and Coventry City frontman Viktor Gyokeres while they have recently declared an interest in Brentford striker Marcus Forss who is set to become available this summer having spent the second half of last season on loan with Hull City.

However, Boro made progress on the transfer front earlier this week with the addition of Manchester City goalkeeper Zack Steffen who has joined the club on a loan deal until the end of the season.

The 27-year-old is coming in as the club’s number one goalkeeper as he eyes targets first-team football and a place in the United States’ World Cup squad for Qatar later this year. Liam Roberts, another summer signing for Boro, will provide competition for his place between the sticks.

Steffen, who watched his new team mates in action at the Mazuma Stadium, declared his excitement for joining the club which was music to the ears of Wilder. “I’d rather him be positive about what he is joining than negative. That’s my take on it” he said.

“I love the mentality of the Americans. I think they are great and they want to win. They don’t always win but they have that mentality instilled in him and he’s certainly got that.”

Boro play their final pre-season friendly of the summer on Friday when they host French side Marseille at the Riverside Stadium. The following week, they host West Bromwich Albion on the opening day of the Championship season.