Middlesbrough fans will love what Matt Crooks has said to Kyle Joseph after joining | OneFootball

Middlesbrough have completed the signing of Kyle Joseph from Hull City

Middlesbrough missed out on promotion to the Premier League with a play-off final loss to Hull City last season.

The Teesside outfit haven’t competed in the top flight since 2017, but will have their sights set on a return in the coming campaign.

Kim Hellberg is currently overseeing his first pre-season in charge of the Championship side after becoming head coach last November.

He led the team to a fifth place finish in the table in the previous campaign, and now the play-offs will expand by two teams from 2026/27, so a top eight position will be enough to again fight for promotion.

Middlesbrough have completed the signings of Myles Peart-Harris and Jeremy Sarmiento already this summer, with the latter arriving on a permanent basis after an initial loan spell.

And Kyle Joseph has become the latest to sign for the club, arriving from Hull in a deal worth a reported £5 million.

Middlesbrough fans will love Matt Crooks’ message to Kyle Joseph

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Joseph has posted a message to Middlesbrough fans following the completion of his move to the Riverside from Hull.

The forward has expressed his delight at finally getting a deal over the line after concerns it may not come to fruition, and that he is excited for the season ahead with his new club.

“Been a mental couple of weeks but delighted to have finally signed for this massive club!” wrote Joseph, via Instagram.

“Looking forward to meeting the lads and getting out at the Riverside in front of you all.”

And Joseph’s former teammate Matt Crooks has responded in a manner that will excite Middlesbrough supporters: “Good luck mucker. You’ll love it.”

Crooks previously spent three years at Middlesbrough, where he contributed 20 goals and 14 assists from 102 appearances in the Championship.

The 32-year-old helped Boro reach the play-off semi-finals under Michael Carrick in 2022/23 before joining MLS side Real Salt Lake in 2024.

The forward made the switch to Hull in 2025, and played a role in their promotion to the Premier League at Boro’s expense.

Joseph was a key figure in the Tigers’ reaching the play-offs, scoring eight and assisting five goals from 44 appearances in the regular campaign.

Boro will be hoping he can have a similar impact at the Riverside in the new season, with their sights set on another push for a top two position.

The 24-year-old has agreed a four year deal as part of his move to Middlesbrough, keeping him with the club until June 2030.

Middlesbrough will begin their Championship campaign on 15 August with a home clash against Lincoln City.

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Kyle Joseph signing is an exciting step for Middlesbrough

Joseph took a real step up with Hull last season, and showed that he has what it takes to help a team in their promotion ambitions in the Championship.

A £5 million deal is an exciting step forward for Boro, who will want some increased firepower after the manner of their failure to win promotion.

They struggled with consistently scoring goals in the final months of the campaign, so this is an area where Joseph can really shine for them, as he is a danger in the final third and can create opportunities for others.

Fans will be hoping that this is just the beginning of Boro’s proper summer business in what could be an important transfer market for their Premier League ambitions.