How much money Middlesbrough have paid to sign David Strelec revealed | OneFootball

Boro captured the signing of a long-desired centre-forward target in the dying hours of the summer transfer window.

Middlesbrough finally secured the signing of Slovan Bratislava star David Strelec in the final hours of the summer transfer window, having long been admirers of the Slovakian international.

Boro have sent a loud and clear message to the Championship this summer: 'we're going for it this year'.

That isn't to say Middlesbrough haven't been setting their sights on promotion in recent times, as they most certainly have, as the club reminded everyone with the sacking of Michael Carrick showing that eighth and 10th-placed finishes aren't going to cut it at the Riverside.

New boss Rob Edwards, albeit after a slow and frustrating start to the summer on the transfer front, has been significantly backed in the market over these last few weeks, and now as August turns to September, he has a squad that looks capable of defending their spot at the second tier summit this term.

How much Middlesbrough have paid to sign David Strelec

Both in relative net spend and with 11 incomings and 11 outgoings, Middlesbrough performed some highly impressive and super shrewd business in the market this summer.

Huge profits were banked through the sales of Finn Azaz (£12m initial fee), Rav van den Berg (£11.2m) and Josh Coburn (£5m+) respectively, which enabled the club to raise just shy of £30m through those three sales alone.

That's not factoring in the £22.5m sale of Emmanuel Latte Lath and £5m sale of Isaiah Jones in January too, meaning Middlesbrough's summer of spending has largely funded itself through their excellent work of cashing in on players brought to the club on cheap deals, or as academy graduates.

Alan Browne, Kaly Sene, Matt Targett, Sverre Nypan, Sontje Hansen, Callum Brittain and Alfie Jones are some of the new faces on Teesside, whilst their acceptance to allow Adilson Malanda to see out the remainder of the MLS season with Charlotte FC enabled Middlesbrough to win his in-demand signature, as he prepares to link up with the club in January.

However, the one many Boro fans have been dreaming of and waiting for perhaps more than any other this summer was David Strelec.

Middlesbrough tried to sign him in January, as did Celtic, but a £9m price tag was enough to see Slovan fend off interest from potential suitors.

But, after a long and anxious summer of waiting and wondering whether Boro would rekindle their interest, the 24-year-old, who fired home 25 goals for the Slovakian champions last season, is now wearing red and white.

So, have Middlesbrough been made to cough up £9m? Well according to respected Northern Echo reporter Dominic Shaw, the answer to that is no.

Writing via X on deadline day, Shaw revealed that it was his knowledge that Boro have paid an initial fee of £6.5m, with a further £2m in potential add-ons.

Rob Edwards and Middlesbrough now have all the firepower they need to sustain a Premier League promotion charge

If Middlesbrough are to fall short in their bid to end their nine-year Premier League exile this season, then it will surely not be for a lack of scoring goals.

Without attempting to jinx that, one only needs to cast their eyes over the embarrassment of riches Edwards has at his disposal in attack to conform with that notion.

In Edwards' flexible and adaptable system, he has comprised a group of forwards who can all pretty much operate in any role across the forward line, giving him an arsenal of weapons that can hurt any side in the league depending on the situation and tactical approach they encounter.

Jostling for places in the team behind the centre-forward(s) are: Riley McGree, Delano Burgzorg, Morgan Whittaker, Micah Hamilton, Sontje Hansen, Alex Gilbert and Sverre Nypan respectively.

Whilst competing to lead the line for Boro are: Strelec, Kaly Sene, and Tommy Conway respectively, whilst remembering the aforementioned point raised that the vast majority of these players have feet in both groups.

It's a superb group of options, comprising of proven and more experienced performers, whilst retaining an element of mystery and unknown, exciting quantities.

Experience, proven goal-records, raw talent, pace, power, height, versatility; Middlesbrough's cutting edge may now be the sharpest in the Championship this season.