Middlesbrough latest as Kim Hellberg comments on Delano Burgzorg future - 'He deserves that'

Middlesbrough sustained their promotion push with a late 3-2 win away at West Brom on Friday night.

Delano Burgzorg netted in the 90th minute after Boro had surrendered a two-goal lead at the Hawthorns, offering Boro back-to-back wins for the first time since mid-December. As a result, Kim Hellberg’s side remain second in the table, six points adrift of leaders Coventry City but two ahead of Ipswich Town - though the latter have a game in hand. But could this be the last act in a Boro shirt for Friday’s hero, Burgzorg? After all, the Dutch forward has been heavily linked with Bristol City this January.

Here is the latest on Burgzorg’s future at the Riverside Stadium, along with the other Middlesbrough headlines.

Kim Hellberg comments on Delano Burgzorg future after WBA goal

Burgzorg now has five direct goal involvements (2g/3a) in the Championship this season, and critically, four of them have come in one-goal wins. Take them away, and Boro would be eight points worse off, which would drop them to just outside the playoff places. But Boro have already signed Leo Castledine this January, while Jeremy Sarmiento continues to be linked from Brighton, meaning Burgzorg’s future is anything but certain.

Kim Hellberg hasn’t commented either way on what might happen to the 27-year-old forward this month, but he has heaped praise on Burgzorg after his huge moment in the Midlands that may yet define Boro’s promotion push.

“I think everything he [Burgzorg] has done has been brilliant,” said the Boro boss. “He has been working really hard and showing really good energy in every minute. “My focus is on coaching the players that are here. I’m not thinking about who’s going to move or anything like that. I’m just coaching them – and he has been working brilliantly.”

On Friday’s strike, Hellberg continued: “It was a top goal. It was a great moment for him and a great moment for everyone. He deserves it. He has been working very hard and I think he has had some very good games for us. I’m very happy for him – he deserves that one, it was a top goal.”

Rav van den Berg rejected Bayern for Boro

One player who did leave Boro in the summer is Rav van den Berg. The Dutch defender signed for FC Köln in the Bundesliga following a strong two years at the Riverside, making more interceptions (67) than any other Boro player in the Championship across the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons combined - while finishing second for clearances (241) and aerial duels won (145).

Van den Berg landed Middlesbrough a reported £11.2million fee to move to Germany, which is a huge profit on the £260,000 they reportedly paid for the defender. But despite those low stakes to bring Van den Berg from PEC Zwolle in the Netherlands, the defender has now revealed that Bayern Munich were among the clubs he turned down to join Boro - and that he doesn’t regret his decision to turn down the Bavarians one bit.

"He [Sepp] never said I shouldn't do it, but he told me his own experiences. I did have talks in Munich. Sepp and I don't have the same character, and I wanted to experience it myself, to see if I would want it,” Van den Berg told Voetbal International in an interview alongside brother and Brentford centre-back, Sepp.

“I knew pretty quickly it wouldn't suit me. In my younger years, I also sat down with Ajax a few times, and even then, I noticed quickly it wasn't for me at that moment. “So I deliberately didn't take that step and eventually went to a slightly different club with Middlesbrough. I’m very happy with that in the end. It wasn't the most logical step for many people, but it clicked. Sometimes you just have to take a risk. In the first year, I became Player and Young Player of the Year."

Lukas Engel seals permanent MLS switch

After spending the 2025 season on loan at FC Cincinnati, Lukas Engel has completed a permanent move Stateside, though this time with Real Salt Lake. The left-back played 41 games across all competitions for a Cincinnati side that finished second in the Eastern Conference and made it to the Eastern Conference semi-finals in the MLS Cup play-offs. Now, he’ll look to help an RSL side that barely scraped into the post-season and exited the play-offs in the preliminary round.

"I’m obviously really happy and proud to have signed with Real Salt Lake," said Engel. "For me, this feels like the correct next step in my career. The club has shown a lot of confidence in me, which is quite meaningful. After talking with the coaching staff, as well as Kurt Schmid, I strongly felt the ambition and the plan for the project. That really motivates me, and I’m excited to get started, work hard, and give everything I have for the team and the fans.”

Engel played 53 times across all competitions during his year-and-a-half on Teesside, registering two goals and four assists along the way.

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