Middlesbrough 'hopeful' of striking Jeremy Sarmiento deal with Brighton star set to depart

The versatile winger has struggled to make his mark at the Amex Stadium over the past few years, with season-long stints at Burnley and Ipswich Town failing to get his career truly back on track.

Sarmiento was sent out on loan to Serie A side Cremonese over the summer, with the Italian side inserting a clause into the deal which would make the move permanent after a certain number of appearances. However, that is no longer in the pipeline.

The 23-year-old has made just seven appearances in all competitions for Davide Nicola’s side, all from the bench, and it is growing increasingly likely that the Ecuador international will return to England sooner rather than later.