Kim Hellberg may like fresh Middlesbrough FC transfer news - £1.3m man could offer new signing factor | OneFootball

Lukas Engel could prove to be like a new signing for Kim Hellberg at Middlesbrough as he prepares to return following his loan move at FC Cincinnati.

Middlesbrough have started life under Kim Hellberg in perfect fashion.

The Swede took charge of his first Championship game last weekend since being appointed Rob Edwards’ successor, seeing his Boro side claim a narrow 2-1 victory over fellow promotion hopefuls Derby County.

After originally falling behind in the second minute to Patrick Ageymang’s strike for the Rams, Boro turned the tide in the final 15 minutes, with goals from Matt Targett and Morgan Whittaker keeping the Teesside outfit two points clear of third-placed Millwall in the race for automatic promotion.

There is, of course, still a long way to go in this second-tier season, with many twists and turns to come, but it’s important that Hellberg’s tenure began with a win that can help the playing squad exude the confidence they had when playing under Edwards.

As the games come thick and fast over the festive period in the Championship, the January transfer window will be a crucial time to add further competition and depth to the ranks to combat the relentless nature of the division.

Middlesbrough will be keen to add to their squad in order to give themselves the best chance of promotion back to the big time, addressing certain areas that are perhaps a little bit weak.

One of those is at left-back, but Boro are already on the verge of having Lukas Engel return to the Riverside Stadium following his loan move in the MLS with FC Cincinnati.

And with this being a problem position, Engel could feel like a new signing, particularly if he can recreate the form he showed over in the US.

Lukas Engel’s loan spell at FC Cincinnati

After originally linking up with Middlesbrough in the summer of 2023 for a reported fee of £1.3m, Lukas Engel slotted into the first-team setup on Teesside immediately, featuring 39 times, which saw him produce two goals and four assists.

In a very positive debut season for the club that just saw the team narrowly miss out on the play-offs under Michael Carrick, Engel was expected to kick on and go from strength to strength, but injury issues ultimately hampered his second term.

Despite playing the opening three games of the following term, Engel admitted he shouldn’t have played so soon after undergoing a hernia operation, and after an extended period out of the squad between August and December, his minutes dwindled due to the competition from Neto Borges.

After six more games that featured just one start, Engel requested to leave Middlesbrough in order to get more gametime, departing on loan to MLS side FC Cincinnati.

In that time, the Danish defender went on to be one of the first names on the teamsheet, starting 31 of the 33 MLS games he was available for.

He notched four assists over that period, helping the club reach the MLS play-offs, where they were victorious over Columbus Crew but suffered a heavy quarter-final defeat to Inter Miami.

Engel produced some very solid individual numbers in America, averaging a rating of 7.18/10 and creating a whopping 33 chances from full-back while his defensive contributions saw him make 133 recoveries and win 161 duals, as per FotMob.

Those figures are a testament to the quality Engel possesses in a backline, showing he can make an impact in a team when given regular gametime.

Meanwhile, there has been a twist in the transfer saga involving Engel. He was originally expected to complete a permanent move to his loan club given FC Cincinnati held an option to buy, but a proposed deal has since collapsed, and the 26-year-old is now expected to return to Middlesbrough given the MLS campaign has now come to an end.

The first test for Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg is at the left-back position, which has been weakened due to injuries.

Because of problems in the backline with the likes of Luke Ayling, Dael Fry, George Edmundson and Darragh Lenihan, Matt Targett has been called upon to fill in at central defence, while Alex Bangura has only recently made his first league appearance for the club and may need some time to adapt to the rough and tumble of the Championship.

So, instead of spending vital financial resources on another defender, Boro should profit from the return of Lukas Engel. The Dane knows what the Championship is all about from his short stay in the second-tier, while his numbers in America were so impressive and could really help Boro maintain a free-flowing nature at the top end of the pitch.

Engel’s versatility is a major plus too, with the defender taking up a place at centre-back during his time with FC Cincinnati, although he was his most dangerous best while marauding up the left flank.

In order to maintain a promotion charge back to the Premier League, Boro are going to need creativity from all over the pitch, particularly at full-back to support the wide players if they’re not firing on all cylinders.

And Engel has proven on his loan stint that he can be the man to provide this, given the hefty number of opportunities he created while in the MLS.

Paired with his ability to also put up solid defensive numbers, he has the potential to be one of the leading full-backs in the Championship if given the chance to shine.

If he is to return to the Riverside Stadium like he is expected to, then Hellberg should really be considering working him into his plans, with this decision potentially a turning point if Boro can patch up one of the very few weak areas of their squad.