The Riverside club look certain bankers to be relegated from the Premier League next week but that does not stop them alllegedly planning big signings as they look to plot an immediate return.
Yesterday's 1-1 draw with Aston Villa all but consigned them to the drop next week but today's Wales on Sunday reports that their sources in Spain suggest that Southgate is ready to move for Gomez who has impressed so much in his first season in this country,.
Swansea have been reported as preparing their own £1m bid for the player but the paper says "Now sources in Spain have indicated Boro, who have also been linked with Swans striker Jason Scotland, are prepared to pay as much as £1.7m to snare the Barcelona youth product, who has also been linked to Celtic.
"And, crucially, the offer would put hopes of landing Gomez out of Roberto Martinez’s reach with the Swans ready to stand firm on their valuation of the cultured Catalan."
Middlesbrough's relegation will almost certainly cost them the services of Stewart Downing and Gomez is seen as a potential replacement for them.
The paper also says that Swansea had a first refusal deal on Gomez until a change of management at the club ended that part of the deal.
This article first appeared on JACKARMY.net.