Middlesbrough FC latest: Ryan Giles/Hull City update, Sam Silvera comments, Aidan Morris boost | OneFootball

It's been a busy few days on Teesside, with a signing completed and advancements being made with another.

Highlights

Middlesbrough are in Portugal this week, as they begin their preparations for the upcoming season.

Michael Carrick's side have the nucleus of a strong team that Boro fans are hopeful can compete for Premier League promotion in 2024/25.

With a handful of signings already completed, Carrick is continuing to search for ways in which he can continue to improve his squad, which has also meant that some Boro players are having to search for pastures new for next season.

But with the opening weekend of the Championship season now just a matter of weeks away, Boro are hopeful that their squad will be in an even stronger position than it is now to hit the ground running - something they failed to do last time out.

Football League World takes a look at all the latest lines relating to Middlesbrough FC.

Hull City owner speaks on Ryan Giles Boro links

The story of Ryan Giles' summer so far has been one of plot twist after evermore gripping plot twist, and a suitable finale appears to now be in sight.

Hull City have made the 24-year-old's loan from Luton Town permanent this summer for £4 million – with Hull Live reporting that there was an obligation to do in the deal that saw him join last term.

But with the Tigers both under new management and under pressure to comply with EFL spending rules, it seems Giles could be on the move to Boro, who are reportedly set to make a move.

This comes after Hull City owner Acun Ilicali told Hull Live: "About Giles, if he wants to go to Middlesbrough, we will let him go. For me, players' happiness is the most important thing."

Boro fans will no doubt be constantly hitting refresh on their social media feeds after hearing that, in what would be a hugely popular reunion in the North East.

Boro fend off Premier League clubs to sign EFL starlet

Thanks in large part to the coaching talents of Carrick, and the eyes for talent that head of football Kieran Scott and the club's scouting department have developed in recent times, Middlesbrough are finding a knack for sourcing young talent.

Rav van den Berg and Morgan Rogers are just two examples of this fine work in the market, with one having been sold for a £15m profit a mere six months after arriving, and the other being a blank cheque commodity should they look to sell.

So it's not hard to see why many Boro fans are getting excited at the potential for similar success with the club's latest young recruit as 16-year-old centre-back Harley Hunt has joined from Swindon Town.

Standing at 6'3" tall, the towering central defender looks to share a similar profile to that of the aforementioned Van Den Berg - big, strong centre-half, but comfortable and confident in possession.

Boro have reportedly paid an up-front fee of £500,000, with add-ons and extras taking the deal to be worth a potential £1.5m, as the teenager will head into Middlesbrough's academy system to begin with.

Teesside Live reports that Manchester City were among a number of Premier League clubs to have spent time scouting the highly promising young defender.

Pompey boss reveals Boro's Silvera plan

Whilst the transfer window is the time to strengthen your squad, it also grants the opportunity for players on the fringes of first team action to seek a new challenge.

In the case of Middlesbrough's Sammy Silvera, a perfect opportunity to do just that arrived in the form of a season-long loan move to Championship new boys Portsmouth.

The Australian international featured 42 times in all competitions for Boro last season, but a topsy-turvy debut season in English football meant that he was allowed to seek a temporary exit this summer.

Speaking with The News, Pompey boss John Mousinho potentially revealed Middlesbrough's plans for Silvera, saying: "I think Middlesbrough are really keen on having him back.

"You never know what’s going to happen off the back of that, but the reason it was a loan and not a permanent is because Middlesbrough see this as a really good step for Sam to go out and play as many games as he can in the Championship."

Aidan Morris in USMNT Olympics snub

After arriving from Columbus Crew in late June, it's been somewhat of a mystery as to how much time US international Aidan Morris would get with his new teammates in pre-season.

That is because it was expected that the 22-year-old central midfielder was expected to be picked for the USA national team, to represent his country at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

But Boro have received an unexpected boost in this regard, as Morris has not been selected as part of the national team squad that will be competing in the French capital this summer, and has now linked up with the Boro squad in Portugal.