ROY HODGSON wants to lure Middlesbrough forward Jeremie Aliadiere back to London and is ready to test Gareth Southgate’s resolve by making a £1.5m bid for the former Arsenal youth player.

Southgate has revealed there will be wholesale changes at the club this summer and Aliadiere could be first out the door.

But the Boro manager will demand closer to £3m for the 26-year-old as he bids to boost his transfer kitty and recruit some experienced figures ahead of next season’s Championship campaign.

Aliadiere arrived on Teesside in June 2007 for an initial £2m fee but struggled to impress in a striking role and played most of last season as an attacking midfielder; scoring just twice during his 29 league appearances.

Fulham boss Hodgson is an admirer and is keen to bring him back to the capital to team up with former Boro keeper Mark Schwarzer as he builds a squad for the Europa League campaign.

Southgate is due back from a holiday next week and his return will trigger transfer activity at the Riverside.

If the deal can be agreed with Fulham, Aliadiere will lead an exodus from the club with Adam Johnson, Tuncay Sanli and Gary O’Neil among those ready to follow suit.

Following Boro’s relegation, O’Neil had been expected to link up with former club Portsmouth but continued uncertainty over Pompey’s managerial situation – where Sven-Goran Eriksson is the latest name linked with the vacancy – has stalled the deal.

Hull, Stoke and newly-promoted Birmingham City are all monitoring the situation.

Southgate also faces a battle if he’s to retain England U21 international Adam Johnson who’s attracting interest from Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.

With Stewart Downing’s operation on his injured foot expected to sideline the winger for up to six months, several Premier League clubs have turned their attention to Johnson as an alternative, cheaper option.

The County Durham-born winger has just 12 months left on his contract and is unlikely to sign a new deal with the club, meaning Southgate may be forced to cash in on the 21-year-old this summer.

Johnson linked up with the England U21 squad yesterday ahead of their European Championship tie against Finland on June 15 before the side take on Germany and Spain in a tough-looking group stage.

Middlesbrough defender Andrew Taylor is also expected to figure in Stuart Pearce’s team with Southgate stressing he is happy for the pair to gain valuable experience despite the Boro boss confessing his misgivings about some players being involved in U21 matches at the end of a long season.