Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder has hinted at the magnitude of the club’s transfer window this summer, stating that ‘some big names’ will be signing, in an interview with the club’s official website.
Middlesbrough brought in Wilder in November 2021 and he got straight to work by bringing in free agent Neil Taylor on a short-term deal. He then utilised the January window to sign Riley McGree and Caolan Boyd-Munce on permanent deals, whilst Folarin Balogun and Aaron Connolly were loaned in.
Admittedly, not all of the dealings were a success, but with his first summer window and first pre-season in charge coming up, Wilder will be able to put his stamp on Boro’s incomings and outgoings.
The Teessiders have already allowed Dejan Stojanovic, Nathan Wood, and Toyosi Olusanya to depart indefinitely, with the trio joining Jahn Regensburg, Swansea City, and St Mirren respectively. Goalkeeper duo Joe Lumley and Zach Hemming have also left, albeit on loan, signing for Reading and Kilmarnock.
But Middlesbrough are not done with their transfer business there, and Wilder has stated that ‘big name players’ will be making the switch to the Riverside in the coming months.
“When we’re bringing players in there will be some big-name players in there that we hope and I believe we can attract to this football club,” he said.
“And that is the feeling that I am getting. After the season that we had last season, even if it ultimately ended in disappointment, players see us as a good place to come and play.
“There will be some big names that will come and people will go, ‘wow, that’s a really good signing’, and there’s going to be some other signings that you might call under the radar who we feel will make the group stronger. Liam [Roberts] is definitely one of those.”
Roberts became Middlesbrough’s first signing of the season this week, arriving on a two-year deal from Northampton Town. He joined on a free transfer having come to the end of his contract at Sixfields and has already had his first training session with his new club.
Reports state that Boro are looking to sign two goalkeepers this summer, especially considering Stojanovic, Lumley, and Hemming have been sold or loaned out. They are also set to listen to offers for Luke Daniels, and so Roberts will likely compete with another new shot stopper.
