Fresh David Strelec exit twist emerges at Middlesbrough | OneFootball

Getafe are interested in Middlesbrough forward David Strelec ahead of the transfer deadline.

Middlesbrough forward David Strelec is on the radar of Getafe after just one season at the Riverside Stadium.

There was a lot of excitement at Boro when they sealed a deal for the forward from Slovan Bratislava, but the Slovakia international endured a difficult first season at the club.

In total, Strelec found the net just eight times in 35 games for Boro, who missed out on promotion after losing the play-off final to Hull City at Wembley.

Many felt Boro’s failure to go up was down to their failure to recruit a clinical striker, and the club hope they have rectified that with the big-money addition of Will Lankshear, who scored both goals in the opening day 2-1 win over Lincoln City.

Getafe interested in Middlesbrough’s David Strelec

Strelec missed the victory over the Imps through injury, with the 25-year-old last featuring in the pre-season game against Celtic which was a month ago.

So, it has been a frustrating period for the player, and it seems there could be doubts over whether Strelec remains at Middlesbrough beyond the end of the transfer window.

That’s after reporter Alan Nixon revealed that Getafe are keen on the player, as the La Liga outfit look to strengthen their squad ahead of the deadline.

It’s unclear how much Getafe would be willing to pay for the former Spezia man, although Middlesbrough may struggle to recoup the £6.5m they spent on Strelec last year.

David Strelec must be replaced if he does leave Middlesbrough

Obviously, the signing of Lankshear is a massive coup for Boro, and there will be a hope that he can be a decisive figure moving forward after his dream debut.

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Nevertheless, Boro can’t become too reliant on the former Spurs man, and Kim Hellberg will know that he needs other attacking players to step up.

With Strelec, there’s no denying that he underwhelmed last season, but we must not forget that he arrived with a very good reputation after his goalscoring form in Slovakia.

So, it would be unfair to write him off after one season, as it can be difficult for players to adapt to the relentless nature of the Championship.

He will have benefited from that first year in the second tier, and he will also now be used to what Hellberg wants from his players in terms of the way he plays.

Therefore, Boro will still have high hopes for Strelec, so they must not lose him on the cheap, and, like with all deals, it’s all about the finances involved.

If Getafe, or any other club, stump up the cash, then Middlesbrough will sell the player, but it’s crucial that if they do agree a deal, they have a replacement lined up.

As outlined above, Hellberg will know that he needs his attacking players to step up, so they would need to bring in a new recruit if they do let him go.

Ultimately, Middlesbrough have had a very impressive transfer window so far, and the squad is in a much better place than it was last season.

It remains to be seen whether Strelec will have a big role to play though, and it will be interesting to see where he is playing his football once the deadline has passed.