Middlesbrough FC will wince at £8m transfer but it could have been worse | OneFootball

George Saville wasn't a great signing for Middlesbrough, but Rudy Gestede and Ashley Fletcher were worse signings.

Middlesbrough spent heavily throughout the 2010s in a bid to establish themselves as a Premier League mainstay.

However, despite multiple arrivals for over £5 million, they only managed one season in the top flight during that period – a dismal 2016-17 campaign in which they finished 19th with just 28 points.

In truth, the majority of those signings failed to make the desired impact. The late 2010s, in particular, were marked by some especially underwhelming additions, including the likes of George Saville, Rudy Gestede, and Ashley Fletcher.

Players like these arrived for hefty fees with little to show in terms of success or proven ability. While Saville's time wasn't amazing at the Riverside, both Gestede and Fletcher were undeniable flops in comparison.

George Saville didn't impress at Middlesbrough

George Saville's career has predominantly unfolded in the Championship, with arguably his best season coming in 2017-18, which ultimately led to Middlesbrough’s decision to sign him. The Northern Irish midfielder was the archetypal box-to-box player for Millwall that season, scoring ten goals as the Lions marked their return to the second tier from League One. His impressive form made him one of the standout performers in the division, prompting Boro to pay a heavy £8 million for his signature, believing him to be one of the best midfielders outside the Premier League.

However, despite the high expectations surrounding him, Saville never quite lived up to his price tag, with inconsistency marred throughout his time at the Riverside. His first season saw him frequently shifted between his preferred central midfield role and a more unfamiliar left-wing position. By the end of the campaign, he had managed a modest four goals and just one assist in 34 appearances.

The following season proved to be even more disappointing, not only for Saville but for Boro as a whole. With the team finishing 17th, it ultimately required Neil Warnock’s late intervention to stave off relegation. Saville struggled during this period, netting only one goal all season - a far cry from his form at Millwall.

When Jonathan Woodgate took over as manager, he arguably got the best out of Saville, with six goals and four assists, but even then, his contributions weren’t enough to justify the hefty initial fee.

The summer of 2021 saw Saville return to Millwall, and while the transfer fee wasn’t disclosed, it’s highly unlikely the Lions paid anywhere near the £8 million Boro had shelled out three years earlier.

Despite George Saville’s underwhelming spell at the Riverside, it’s fair to say that the 2017 signings of Rudy Gestede and Ashley Fletcher were far worse for Middlesbrough.

Gestede arrived in 2017 for a reported £6 million, with the hope that he could replicate the goal-scoring form he’d shown at Blackburn just a few years earlier. However, the Benin international had long since lost that prolific touch. His six-month Premier League stint with Boro saw him score just once in 16 appearances, a far cry from his earlier performances.

A drop to the Championship was expected to offer an opportunity for improvement, but injuries and poor form continued to plague him. By the time he left in 2020, Gestede had managed only eight goals in 71 appearances, a return that could hardly justify his hefty price tag.

Fletcher, while not as disastrous as Gestede, still proved to be a disappointing signing. Signed for £6.5 million as a fresh-faced 21-year-old in the summer of 2017, the young striker’s first two seasons at the club were largely forgettable. He made fewer than 50 appearances, including a loan spell at near rivals Sunderland.

The 2019-20 season saw a slight improvement, with Fletcher scoring 11 goals and providing seven assists in 43 league appearances. However, injuries stunted his progress, preventing him from becoming a consistent force in the Championship. Fletcher ultimately departed Boro on a free transfer in the summer of 2021 and has only recently started to regain his form four seasons later, now playing for Blackpool in League One.

While Saville’s time at Middlesbrough can be considered a disappointment, it pales in comparison to the underwhelming careers of Gestede and Fletcher. Having spent a combined £12.5 million on the pair, Boro fans would have expected far more from two players whose careers have ultimately faded into obscurity.