'Exciting' Middlesbrough winger Michael Carrick loves set for loan exit to Championship rivals

Sammy Silvera is understood to be close to joining Portsmouth on loan, with Middlesbrough hoping the forward can gain much-needed Championship experience.

A deal not expected to include a purchase option, Silvera will sign for the newly-promoted Championship outfit on a temporary basIs, as first reported by the Guardian. Boro are hoping the move will provide the 23-year-old with regular Championship game time and will then assess him upon his return, with two years still remaining on the deal he signed at the Riverside 12 months ago.

Silvera made 42 appearances in his first season at the Riverside last term, scoring six goals and assisting three. However, only 16 of his appearances were starts and he played only 33% of Boro's Championship minutes last term.

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That was despite the fact that Boro had such a big injury list last term. With hopes that will be resolved for the new season after a thorough review, and with Delano Burgzorg arriving to add extra competition to the forward areas this summer, there was always a feeling that Silvera could make a loan exit, as Teesside Live noted earlier in the summer.

Now Silvera looks set to make to switch to Fratton Park where it is hoped regular game time might help to refine elements of his game. Michael Carrick has described himself as 'excited' by Silvera's potential, with the Aussie wide man so keen to learn and grow.

However, he was at times raw and inconsistent and with fewer opportunities for game time at the Riverside next term, ironing out those imperfections and gaining more Championship experience was always going to be difficult next term were he to remain at Boro.