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Former Leeds United star Luke Ayling has revealed that playing under new Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg reminds him of his time with the Whites.

Ayling spent close to eight years with Leeds before joining Middlesbrough, initially on a loan, in 2024, and made himself a club legend in the process, with a glowing Whites message upon his exit.

He played under Daniel Farke, who dubbed his influence ‘massive’, but most improved under the legendary Marcelo Bielsa as he helped Leeds back to the Premier League.

Bielsa came to Ayling’s aid when his performances dipped and said the defender was ‘a great player’.

Ayling has now praised Hellberg’s methods, saying that the Middlesbrough manager is constantly seeking to improve his squad.

Reminiscing about his time with Leeds, Ayling revealed that Hellberg’s tactics are similar to those then-deployed at the Whites and said that he is greatly enjoying playing under such a manager.

Ayling was quoted as saying by Teesside Live: “I’m absolutely loving it, to be honest.

“It’s a bit of a throwback to how we used to play at Leeds under our manager.

“I’m really enjoying it. I can see him coming in every day. It’s not so much about the results every day.

“I feel like he’s trying to improve us as players.

“Younger players will learn so much from him.

“I feel like the boys have really bought into the way he wants to play and the methods that he does it in.”

Hellberg, in his first press conference for Middlesbrough, credited Bielsa, along with Roberto De Zerbi, Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, as being one of his inspirations.

Despite a 2-0 loss to Bristol City on Saturday, Middlesbrough are second in the Championship standings and hold a five-point lead over the chasing pack.

Leeds meanwhile extended their purple patch, dispatching a high-flying Crystal Palace side 4-1 at Elland Road.

Having stated last year that the period over which his association with Leeds ended was tough, Ayling seems to have moved on from the difficult time and is able to recall happier memories with the Whites.

Ayling will want to help Middlesbrough to promotion, and hope that Leeds can ensure survival, enabling an emotional return to Elland Road next season in the Premier League.