Middlesbrough "need to get rid" of £6.5m man who doesn't 'fit Hellberg's system' | OneFootball

FLW's Middlesbrough fan pundit has given his verdict on whether out-of-favour striker David Strelec should be sold in January.

It has been an excellent start to the season for Middlesbrough in the Championship.

It was a disappointing end to last season for Middlesbrough as they were beaten 1-0 by Hull City in the play-off final, but, after a summer of big spending, they are among the early front-runners in the Championship this campaign.

David Strelec facing uncertain Middlesbrough future amid Will Lankshear exploits

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Middlesbrough invested heavily in their squad this summer, with the likes of Radek Vitek, Ashley Phillips, Rokas Pukstas, Kyle Joseph and Will Lankshear among those to arrive for significant transfer fees.

While many of Boro's new additions have impressed so far this season, few have made a bigger impact than striker Lankshear, who has already scored eight goals in just 11 appearances since joining from Tottenham Hotspur for an initial fee of £10 million, plus a further £10 million in potential add-ons.

Lankshear's prolific form has been crucial to Boro's strong start to the season, but it is bad news for fellow striker David Strelec, who has struggled to establish himself at the Riverside Stadium since his move from Slovan Bratislava last summer for a fee of £6.5 million, with the deal also including £2 million in possible performance-related bonuses.

Strelec scored just eight goals in 35 appearances in his debut campaign on Teesside last season, and he was the subject of interest from PAOK Salonika this summer, but despite the Greek outfit reportedly agreeing personal terms with the striker, the move did not materialise.

However, Strelec has made just four appearances in all competitions for Boro so far this season, with his game time in the Championship totalling only eight minutes, and that has led to speculation that he could depart in the January transfer window.

Middlesbrough fan verdict issued on potential David Strelec exit in January

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When asked for his thoughts on Strelec's future, FLW's Middlesbrough fan pundit Liam Day urged the club to consider selling the 25-year-old in January, predicting that they could receive a fee in the region of £5 million for his services.

"I think you have to look at David Strelec's position in the squad and say that we probably realistically should be selling him in January," Liam told FLW.

"It depends where we are in the league, but, after a good start, you'd expect us to still be up there, and we can reinvest the money in the squad and try and get a player who fits Hellberg's system more.

"While I don't think Strelec is a bad player, I don't think he fits Hellberg's system whatsoever.

"I do think we need to get rid of him.

"I know he's not scored much for us, but I think we could maybe still get around £5 million for him as an all-round package, simply because he's shown in the past that he has got the quality to do it.

"He's shown on the international stage that he's got quality as well.

"I think we could get around £5 million, and it's something Boro should definitely be considering."

Middlesbrough must make ruthless David Strelec transfer decision in January

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Middlesbrough chased Strelec for some time before eventually landing his signature last summer, so they would have had high hopes for the Slovakia international, but he failed to live up to expectations at the Riverside Stadium.

Strelec was far from the only Boro player to be wasteful in front of goal last season, but the striker was guilty of missing a number of golden chances that contributed to his side falling short of automatic promotion.

Hellberg made it clear he was keen to keep hold of Strelec this summer, describing him as a "brilliant footballer", but his lack of game time in the early stages of the season suggests he is not part of the Swede's plans, and Boro should look to offload him in January before his valuation drops even further.