Kim Hellberg reveals real reason why Middlesbrough avoided signing a striker in January | OneFootball

Kim Hellberg has the belief that his current crop can fire Boro to the Premier League

Middlesbrough manager Kim Hellberg has revealed why his side didn't sign a striker in the January transfer window, believing that any signing he makes has to have "purpose."

Boro, despite currently boasting the fourth-best attacking return in the Championship, have been more commonly praised as a side that defends better than it attacks, especially earlier on in the season under Rob Edwards.

Morgan Whittaker has rediscovered the goalscoring form exhibited at Plymouth Argyle under new boss Hellberg, but outside the 25-year-old's 11 goals, Boro have found it difficult at times to pack a punch in front of goal, with first-choice frontman Tommy Conway netting six times in 30 games.

Therefore, critics felt that a new striker should have been through the door at the Riverside to legitimise Middlesbrough's ongoing title charge, but as the window slammed shut, none came.

Kim Hellberg has explained why, believing that he didn't want to just sign players for the sake of it this past month.

Kim Hellberg reveals the reasoning behind Middlesbrough's transfer omission

While Middlesbrough did target a striker in the January window, according to Teeside Live, a move didn't materialise due in part to a lack of attractive options for Kim Hellberg's side at the time.

There would have been scope to bring in a new frontman, but Boro boss Kim Hellberg insisted that any new signing needs to be right for the group at the time, and didn't feel that any available names would have added to what he already has at his disposal.

"If you find the right one, I think we would have done one more [January signing], he told Teeside Live.

"But it had to be right with the group, it had to be right with all of those different things. It's important not to go and buy players just to buy players. Every player we try to bring in, there needs to be a purpose.

"It will never be a 100% success rate. Not every signing will go on and play 200 games for Middlesbrough. It's sometimes about being a good person in the environment and then seeing if you can develop through it or not.

"It's important to try and look at every player you sign and see: what is his role, and what can we get out of him? Also, how can he improve, and how can we get the best out of him together with the squad?"

Middlesbrough have enough attacking options to power them over the line

While a recognisable centre forward wasn't among the January incomings, Boro did strengthen in attacking areas with the arrivals of Leo Castledine, who netted 10 in 23 League One games for Huddersfield Town in the opening half of the campaign, and Jeremy Sarmiento, who has been part of promoted sides out of the Championship in each of the last two seasons.

To add to that, the already serviceable options Kim Hellberg has in his arsenal mean that the side currently joint-top in the Championship should have enough to maintain their position.

Hellberg referenced that his side has scored the most goals in the division over the last 13 games, while also going through a seven-hour scoreless period during that time, too. "It must be some type of world record!" he remarked.

"It's been so many players scoring from different positions, also. We have Morgan Whittaker, up there with the top scorers in the league. We have Tommy Conway, who's scored a lot of goals in the last games.

"Alan Browne has scored a lot of goals, and Riley McGree scored a lot in the beginning. David Strelec scored a lot of goals when he was fit before the injury.

"So, that's a lot of players who can score goals. Then, it's up to me to keep improving them."

Indeed, there are plenty of players capable of taking the scoring mantle at different points in the campaign between now and May, similarly to Coventry City when Haji Wright, Brandon Thomas-Asante, Ellis Simms and Ephron Mason-Clark had separate purple patches in front of goal earlier this year.

Kim Hellberg clearly has faith that his current crop can come up with big moments over the final 16 games of the campaign, and if they can, Middlesbrough will likely wind up in the Premier League for the first time since 2017.