Middlesbrough must eye £30m star at Leicester City if Kim Hellberg wins promotion | OneFootball

Middlesbrough could be preparing for life in the Premier League next season, and they should plot a bold transfer move for an impressive winger.

Middlesbrough will be eager to hold their nerve in the race for promotion into the Premier League, in what is set to be an electrifying last few months in the Championship.

Runaway leaders Coventry City seem as though they've nailed down top-spot in the second tier, and Boro will be eager to keep their promotion destiny in their own hands.

Crucial matches against the likes of Ipswich Town and Millwall are still to come for Kim Hellberg's side, and it's crucial that they perform to their best, with some inconsistencies starting to creep into Middlesbrough's games of late.

Boro last played their football in the Premier League back in 2017, when they were relegated from the top-flight after a disappointing campaign.

That wait to return to the Premier League will have been tiresome for the Middlesbrough fanbase, who are now desperate to see their side cling on in the automatic promotion places.

If Middlesbrough are to win promotion into the Premier League this season, then it's likely to be an interesting summer transfer window ahead at The Riverside, as Boro look to add reinforcements to their squad, in the hope of avoiding relegation back into the Championship.

Abdul Fatawu has impressed despite Leicester City struggles

Abdul Fatawu is a player that has caught the eye in the Championship this season, which is hugely impressive given Leicester City's struggles for much of this year's league campaign.

The winger signed for the Foxes back in 2024 from Portuguese giants, Sporting Lisbon, and he's certainly lived up to the hype that was brought on him when he first arrived.

Fatawu has scored nine goals and been on hand to provide seven assists in his 36 league appearances for Leicester City this season, in what has been hugely forgetful campaign on the whole for the Foxes.

They've been nowhere near good enough this season, and with a points deduction also applying to them, they're in serious danger of being relegated into League One this term.

There is no doubt that Fatawu is more than good enough to be playing at a higher level, and plenty will argue that he should already be playing in the Premier League.

Premier League interest

It's previously been reported that Sunderland were interested in a deal to sign Fatawu for a fee believed to be in the region of £30million, although in January 2026, their eagerness had reportedly cooled.

Sky Sports pundit, Lee Hendrie previously issued high praise for Fatawu in an exclusive interview with Football League World, and labelled him as a 'real big player', which is something that the winger has certainly shown for much of the 2025/26 season.

Middlesbrough should register interest in Fatawu

Fatawu is a player that would certainly add something to Middlesbrough's current squad. His pace and trickery would be a real threat for Boro in attacking areas, and he'd provide Kim Hellberg with a welcome selection headache each week.

The likes of Morgan Whittaker and Riley McGree are solid options for Boro, but there will be questions as to whether they're good enough to potentially make the step-up to the standard required in the Premier League.

Whereas Fatawu has featured in the Premier League already in his career, and would be more of a reliable option to have on a more consistent basis with his brief 11-game experience in the top-flight.

Fatawu would be a much more exciting option than McGree off the left, with the Australian only having five goals and three assists to his name for Boro so far this season; he's an important player all the same and really reliable, but in a division that demands risks to win football matches, Boro might need more. Adding a player of Fatawu's quality to the Boro squad can only be a good thing, especially when you have Morgan Whittaker on the other flank. The pair would be attacking options on the flanks, but also carry a real goal threat.

As shown by his statistics, Fatawu isn't shy about using his pace to get at full-backs, having made 92 successful dribbles already for Leicester this season. He drives them up the pitch into attacking areas, and that's something that Middlesbrough could certainly benefit from having in their squad, especially if they're defending for large parts of the game against superior opposition in the Premier League.

He's created 42 chances for his Leicester teammates this season, and that sort of creative spark could be music to the ears of the likes of Tommy Conway, who would surely be delighted to have a player of Fatawu's ability arrive at the Riverside.

A deal could be difficult for Boro to complete if they fail in their bid to win promotion. Leicester's reported asking price would surely be too high for a club in the Championship, although it may come down if the Foxes do drop into League One.

Leicester will surely know that Fatawu is heading for the exit door regardless of which division they're playing their football in next season, but his exit is likely to be much quicker if the Foxes are to be relegated into League One this term.