After last summer’s playoff final heartbreak, it was always likely to be hard for Middlesbrough to replicate their form to try and better their previous season's performance. A 2-0 defeat to Norwich last May could have signalled a real stall in Boro’s bid for a top-flight return. However, rather than dwell on the defeat, Aitor Karanka’s side picked themselves up to overcome the psychological blow and secure a place in the upcoming Premier League season.
While they failed to go up as champions, with Burnley pipping Middlesbrough to top spot, promotion was the ultimate end goal, with their automatic place sealed on the final day of the regular season. As with any team coming up to England’s top tier, though, Middlesbrough have quickly gone about ensuring they don’t become a team that simply yo-yo’s between divisions. With the huge increase in TV money, the financial implications of staving off relegation are grand.
The north-east outfit have maximised the increase in funds available to ensure they don’t drop back into the Championship at the first time of asking. Karanka and co. have already solidified key areas of the squad on the back of their promotion, with the stand out purchase coming in the form of Marten de Roon, the club’s second most expensive acquisition in their history. He’s not the only noteworthy arrival, with Viktor Fischer, Bernardo Espinosa and Champion League winner Victor Valdes all joining De Roon at the Riverside Stadium.
Links with moves for Alvaro Negredo and Neven Subotic further highlight just how ambitious Middlesbrough are in the transfer market this summer as they set about improving the side on the back of their promotion. Given the gulf in class between the Championship and Premier League, improvements were needed after all, despite Middlesbrough conceding the fewest goals (31) in England’s second tier last season.
While Dimitrios Konstantopoulos was a consistent performer for Boro between the sticks, keeping more clean sheets (22) than any other Championship goalkeeper, the opportunity to sign a shotstoppper of Valdes' calibre was too great to pass up. Despite leaving Barcelona two years ago, only Claudio Bravo (80) has kept more clean sheets in the last seven La Liga seasons than Valdes (74), with his influence between the posts contributing to the Blaugrana’s dominance in Spain’s top tier.
While he struggled for action at Manchester United to say the least, with former boss Louis van Gaal freezing him out last season, his signing is still regarded as a coup by Boro. Indeed, only Keylor Navas (77.4%) has a better save success rate than Valdes (73.8%) of goalkeepers to make 50 or more appearances in the last seven La Liga seasons. His vast experience is a huge boost to a Boro side striving to retain a Premier League place at the first time of asking.
It’s the capture of De Roon that has really caught the eye, however. As Premier League teams go in search of the next surprise signing of the summer, following in the footsteps of Leicester after they took the risk on N’Golo Kante at a meagre £5m last summer as a replacement for the outgoing Esteban Cambiasso. 12 months later and the Frenchman is one of the most sought after talents on the continent. Boro will be hoping De Roon can have a similar impact at the Riverside Stadium.
Only Kante (331) and Idrissa Gana (285) made more tackles and interceptions combined than De Roon (253) in Europe’s top five leagues last season. Given Boro conceded an average of just 11.3 shots per game in the Championship last season, one of the better returns, the need for a tough-tackling defensive shield may have seemed low on the priority list for Karanka’s side. Adam Clayton and captain Grant Leadbitter - who will miss the start of the season following surgery - were effective performers as the deep lying pair in the Boro boss’ favoured 4-2-3-1 formation last season, but Karanka evidently identified the area as one in need of strengthening.
With Leadbitter and Clayton’s top-flight experience also limited, Karanka’s move for De Roon bolsters his midfield options. Former side Atalanta averaged a modest 48.6% possession in Serie A last season and it’s feasible to suggest Middlesbrough will see little of the ball upon their Premier League return, meaning a disciplined holding midfielder was essential for a Boro side that can be expected to sit deep and soak up pressure before hitting teams on the counter attack.
Should that be the case, the arrival of Fischer makes sense. The Dane has failed to live up to his potential having broken onto the scene in 2012 and as a result, Ajax were prepared to let him leave this summer. Yet if Karanka can help Fischer regain his best form, Boro could have the ideal winger capable of carrying out the counter attacking needs of the manager. Only a handful of players completed more successful dribbles per 90 than Fischer (2.3) of those to make 15 or more Eredivisie appearances last season.
Best suited in wide positions, if the 22-year-old can quickly adjust to the rigours of Premier League football, then Middlesbrough boast a handy attacking option that will compliment the likes of Gaston Ramirez, Stewart Downing and Jordan Rhodes. The latter in particular could thrive with a player of Fischer’s ilk alongside him in attack. With Rhodes boasting a statistically calculated WhoScored strength of ‘holding on to the ball’ his ability to bring others into play will benefit Fischer, who is more than capable of making the required runs in behind the opposition defence as a route to goal.
Should Boro indeed implement an approach to catch teams on the break, then Rhodes’ hold up play is vital in order to ease pressure on the defence. The movements so far this window, though, make for a huge statement of intent by Middlesbrough as they send out a message to Premier League rivals that they aren’t part of England’s top tier to make up the numbers. With a little under a month to go before the season starts, there is plenty of time for Karanka to bolster the ranks as Boro signal their intention to consolidate a top tier spot.
How do you think Middlesbrough will fare following their return to the Premier League? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
