Middlesbrough FC should reconsider Celtic transfer tussle on Rob Edwards tactical evidence | OneFootball

Boro have once again been touted with a move for Slovan striker David Strelec, but Rob Edwards' early tactical showings should be cause for a rethink.

Middlesbrough appear to be reigniting their interest in Slovan Bratislava striker David Strelec, but early-season tactical success from Rob Edwards may mean that Boro should rethink that.

The Teessiders have enjoyed a superb start to their 2025/26 Championship campaign.

Starting slow has been a huge issue for Middlesbrough in recent years, but under the new management of Edwards, his side have claimed victory from their opening two league games vs Swansea City and Millwall respectively.

Four goals have hit the back of the opposition's net, whilst Sol Brynn is yet to pick one out of his own, as Boro look to be firmly on that path to finding a winning formula that may just take them where they want to go this season.

Rob Edwards's tactical approach seems to be working for Boro

Upon his appointment as Middlesbrough's new head coach following the departure of Michael Carrick this summer, many predicted that Edwards would look to deploy two strikers in attack.

After all, the 42-year-old had seen significant success utilising this approach with his former club Luton Town, as Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo was his centre-forward pairing that helped fire Luton all the way to the Premier League.

However, due to a combination of both a lack of strength in depth and the absence of a centre-forward signing so far this summer, Edwards has not yet deployed that approach at the Riverside Stadium.

Instead, the Boro boss has opted to go with a lone centre-forward in the shape of Tommy Conway, with two number 10s in-behind him.

In that attacking midfield area, Middlesbrough have an embarrassment of riches to call upon, with Finn Azaz, Hayden Hackney, Morgan Whittaker, Riley McGree, Delano Burgzorg, Alex Gilbert and new arrivals Sontje Hansen and Sverre Nypan respectively, all capable of operating in those roles.

So, as Edwards prepares to take his side to Carrow Road for a tough away trip against Norwich City this weekend with their 100 percent league record under their new boss on the line, the Boro boss will surely see no reason to deviate away from this 3-4-2-1 approach.

Spending big on David Strelec may not be wisest decision if Edwards proceeds with lone striker system

As previously mentioned, Middlesbrough are yet to get a breakthrough in their pursuit of a striker this summer.

Any potential moves for Danny Ings and Cheikh Sabaly appear to be dead in the water, but rumours have begun to emerge in recent days that Boro could be set to reignite their transfer interest in David Strelec.

The Daily Record claimed on Tuesday that the Teessiders have made 'direct contact' with Slovan over a potential deal for Strelec, with the Slovakian international's father revealing that both Middlesbrough and Scottish giants Celtic have rekindled their interest from the previous winter window.

Naturally, this has Middlesbrough supporters feeling very excited indeed, and so they should be.

At 24, Strelec is yet to enter the prime of his career, and has a superb goal record in Slovakian football for Slovan. He's also played Champions League football, bagging five goals and three assists in 16 appearances in that competition last season.

The prolific centre-forward also represented Slovakia at the 2024 European Championships, playing in every single one of his nation's four games at that tournament, and even provided the assist for Slovakia's goal in their 2-1 Round of 16 defeat to England.

However, any deal for Strelec isn't going to come cheap. Slovan were reportedly holding out for £9m back in January, and with his contract not expiring until the summer of 2028, Boro won't find that there's a discount price on his head this summer.

What's more, Middlesbrough know they already have a top-quality Championship striker in the aforementioned Conway, who finished his debut 24/25 season in the North East as the club's top scorer, with his 13 league strikes being the best return of his young career so far.

Still only 23, the Scottish international is undoubtedly a player Boro feel confident can fire them to promotion, and so splashing out on Strelec may not make much sense this summer.

From a financial perspective, it's going to be an expensive deal to do, and with a handsome fee spent on Hansen, plus with an $8m/£5.9m agreement struck with Charlotte FC for defender Adilson Malanda, the coffers may not currently be deep enough to afford Strelec.

Whilst looking through a tactical lense, if Edwards is to continue pressing on with his lone striker system, then perhaps adding a Premier League loanee, or finding a cheaper alternative to support Conway rather than potentially replace him - Strelec and Boro surely wouldn't be doing a deal to see him sitting on the bench - would make far more sense.