Significant Hammarby & Middlesbrough update as Kim Hellberg nears move

Middlesbrough are only details away from presenting Hammarby’s Kim Hellberg as their new manager.

FotbollDirekt reports that there is a verbal agreement in place and that the 37-year-old is expected to travel to the North East shortly to sign a deal with the Teessiders. The move represents a significant moment for the club, as they have been evaluating long-term managerial options since Rob Edwards vacated his position in favour of a move to Premier League side Wolves.

Despite reported interest in high-profile candidates such as Steven Gerrard, Gary O’Neil and Raphaël Wicky, Boro turned to the Swedish head coach, who is now poised to take on his first managerial role outside his home country.

Although his commitment with his current club runs through 2026, Boro are understood to have triggered a release clause in his contract to secure his services for the long term. The report adds that Middlesbrough and Hellberg finalised the remaining details of their agreement on Thursday afternoon, with the contract expected to be signed either on Friday or Saturday.

The agreed compensation package, reports claim, is said to place the coach’s annual salary between £960,000 and £1.2 million, a substantial increase over his current wage. Boro have made a strong start to the season and currently sit second in the league behind Coventry City, managed by Chelsea icon Frank Lampard. Hellberg’s debut at Riverside Stadium, however, will need to wait.

As his work permit is yet to be approved and may not be finalised until next week, Adi Viveash is expected to lead the team in Saturday’s away fixture against Oxford as well as the crucial clash with Coventry on Tuesday evening.

Hammarby sporting director Mikael Hjelmberg confirmed last week that Hellberg travelled to London, with Fotbollskanalen reporting that the manager held meetings with Swansea City representatives during his visit.

Despite the Swans’ strong interest, Hellberg is said to have been convinced by Middlesbrough's promotion bid and financial capabilities. As reported by Sky Sports, Norwich City also joined the race to land the Swede’s signature, but the Canaries were ultimately unable to do so.

One complication in the negotiations has been Hellberg’s wish to reunite with his current assistant coach, David Selini at Boro. Since Selini did not have a buyout clause in his contract, the two clubs are believed to have negotiated terms for his release, which prolonged the process.

With the remaining details of Hellberg’s deal now reportedly only formalities, Selini’s arrival also appears to have been agreed upon. Hellberg’s appeal stems from a successful spell at the small-town club IFK Värnamo, where his ambitious and fearless tactical approach, despite limited resources, established him as one of Scandinavia’s most promising coaching talents.

After guiding the top-flight newcomers to a tenth-place finish in his first season and an impressive fifth place in his second, he reportedly attracted interest from Sunderland before choosing to join Hammarby in December 2023, replacing Martí Cifuentes following the Spaniard’s move to QPR. He then guided the Stockholm club to a second-place finish for the first time since 2003, repeating the feat the following season.

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