Middlesbrough face Morgan Rogers boost that Sunderland will know all about from Bellingham deal | OneFootball

Morgan Rogers could help Middlesbrough follow in Sunderland's footsteps this summer

Middlesbrough are hoping to follow in Sunderland’s footsteps this season with promotion back to the Premier League.

The Black Cats earned their place in the top flight through the play-offs, beating Sheffield United after coming fourth in the table.

Régis Le Bris’ side are now all but safe from relegation back to the Championship already in their first campaign back at this level since the two clubs finished 19th and 20th in 2017.

And the Teesside outfit will need to take a good look at how Sunderland achieved survival in the division if they are to earn their place in the Premier League.

The three promoted sides had all been sent back down in the previous two campaigns, but the Wearside outfit bucked that trend comfortably.

It could lead to a very busy summer transfer window, and the sale of Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa could play a key role for Kim Hellberg’s team in any attempt to replicate Sunderland’s success.

Morgan Rogers sale boost Middlesbrough’s Premier League survival bid

Middlesbrough sold Rogers in the 2024 January transfer window, and it’s been reported that the Championship side inserted a big sell-on clause as part of the agreement.

It’s been claimed that a price tag of greater than £100 million has been set by the Premier League side amid interest from the likes of Chelsea ahead of the upcoming summer market.

And it’s now being reported by Football Insider that failure to secure Champions League football for next season could force a sale of the 23-year-old.

This would be a huge boost for Middlesbrough if they received a possible eight-figure sum from the England international’s move away from Villa Park.

It could even have a similar impact at the Riverside as Jobe Bellingham’s sale had at Sunderland last year.

The midfielder was sold to Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth a reported £33.7 million, and that windfall helped the club invest heavily in improving the first team squad.

While the impact promotion itself can have on a club’s finances is quite well documented, the additional sale of the midfielder also proved quite useful for the Black Cats in their ability to build a squad capable of staying in the Premier League.

Sunderland spent over £150 million on the likes of Habib Diarra, Simon Adingra, Brian Brobbey, Robin Roefs and Chemsdine Talbi, among others, including the permanent arrival of Enzo Le Fée.

Without that overhaul of their first team squad, it’s easy to imagine the club sliding back down to the Championship alongside Burnley and Wolves.

Middlesbrough will need to invest heavily to survive the Premier League

Middlesbrough haven’t gotten over the line with promotion just yet, but the club must surely be planning for life in the top flight just in case.

Sunderland have shown that a certain level of quality is needed to have any chance of remaining in the Premier League, even if it means ruthlessly moving on from some players that were instrumental in their initial promotion success.

Boro will have to follow in their footsteps in the summer, or else face suffering the same fate as their last promotion in 2016, where Aitor Karanka’s side ultimately went straight back down.

Hellberg’s side have the likes of Hayden Hackney, Aidan Morris, Adilson Malanda and a couple of others that look ready to compete in the top flight, potentially Morgan Whittaker and Callum Brittain.

However, other areas of the squad must be improved, with their stuttering form in recent weeks highlighting this even further.

Roefs’ move to the Stadium of Light from NEC Nijmegen in particular has proved a real masterstroke, signalling to Middlesbrough that they will also need to be quite creative in their recruitment process in order to get an edge on their rivals.

So Boro will be keeping a close eye on the looming transfer saga surrounding Rogers this summer, as his sale, and subsequent sell-on clause, could prove a massive advantage for the club in their upcoming business this year.