Middlesbrough may make the first move in the summer battle for Jimmy Bullard by offering Fulham their homesick winger Gary O'Neil in exchange.There have been reports that Fulham are looking to ship out Bullard this summer, although Roy Hodgson has since refuted this, and that has led to a host of clubs being linked with the former Wigan midfielder.

Aston Villa, Bolton, Newcastle, Sunderland, West Ham and Wigan themselves are believed to be among those monitoring developments at Craven Cottage but the Daily Mail claims Boro will become the first to test Hodgson's resolve.

O'Neil has struggled to settle in the North East since a £5million move from Portsmouth last August but Gareth Southgate says there has been no interest in the midfielder so far this summer.

He told the Gazette: "We've had no interest in Gary, he's said to me he feels more settled so at this moment in time I'm happy to got along with that and hope the situation resolves itself over the summer."

O'Neil would prefer a move back south, though, and would jump at the chance of joining Fulham should Hodgson decide he is a suitable replacement for Bullard, who the Cottagers boss described as a "very important player" earlier this week.

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