Kim Hellberg assesses Middlesbrough transfer business ahead of QPR test
It has been a busy summer transfer window for Middlesbrough as they prepare for another push for Premier League promotion.
Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg has revealed he is happy with the make-up of his squad as his side prepare to visit Championship rivals Queens Park Rangers on Saturday afternoon.
It was a busy summer transfer window for Boro as they prepared for the Swede’s first full season in charge at the Riverside Stadium as they likes of Dael Fry, Dan Barlaser, Sontje Hansen and Delano Burgzorg all left the club since the end of last season. However, the headline departure was that of academy product and influential club captain Hayden Hackney as he departed to join Premier League club Everton in a deal that is believed to have netted Boro an initial £15m with achievable add-ons set to follow during the midfielder’s time on Merseyside.
After a busy final week of the summer transfer window, that saw Hajduk Split midfielder Rokas Pukstas, Brighton winger Amario Cozier-Duberry and Rangers midfielder Connor Barron all arrive, Hellberg’s squad have been boosted by a total of 12 new arrivals since his side suffered a defeat in their Championship play-off final clash with Hull City. The likes of Will Lankshear and Sebastian Berhalter have made an impact during the early weeks of their time on Teesside - and Hellberg is determined to bring even more out of his squad in a bid to secure promotion into the Premier League.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, the Boro boss said: “I like the squad so much. The players, the profiles of the players, how hard they work. And I also understand what we need to do in terms of getting better from it. And everyone is on board with that, everyone works very hard to do that. I am responsible for creating an environment here every day that makes people get better, and I have to push them very, very hard in different ways to get to that. I'm very happy with the players I have here. They are great lads and good footballers.”
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There was a major boost for Hellberg ahead of Saturday’s visit to QPR as summer signing Myles Peart-Harris returned to contention after missing the midweek draw at Burnley with a knock he picked up in the win against West Bromwich Albion.