Celtic thankful for transfer miss? Middlesbrough need more from £6.5m star | OneFootball

David Strelec has yet to make the desired impact since his summer move to Middlesbrough

David Strelec was heavily linked with a move to Scottish giants Celtic in the summer, but chose to join EFL Championship side Middlesbrough instead, though he has yet to make the impact Boro would have been hoping for.

Despite their recent defeat to Coventry City, which saw their short lead at the top of the table come to an end, Middlesbrough remain well within contention for promotion this campaign.

Boro could have very easily gone off the boil following the departure of Rob Edwards to Wolverhampton Wanderers, but instead, if anything, they have improved under the guidance of Swedish boss Kim Hellberg.

The Teesside outfit has been seriously impressive since Hellberg’s arrival, especially in an attacking sense, though goals are coming from all across the pitch instead of from one or two players.

15 different players have netted for Boro this season, including Slovakian international David Strelec, who was one of several signings made by Edwards in the summer.

Though, since his move, he has yet to hit the heights those at Middlesbrough would have hoped for, as one side in particular may be breathing a sigh of relief that they missed out on his signature.

David Strelec turned down Celtic for Middlesbrough in a summer switch

Alongside the likes of Callum Brittain, Sontje Hansen, and Kaly Sene, Middlesbrough added Strelec to their ranks during the summer window, paying Slovan Bratislava £6.5 million up front with a potential £2m in add-ons for the Slovakian's services.

However, Boro were not the only club in the market for Strelec, with Scottish side Celtic also having held a strong interest in the 24-year-old, as confirmed by his father.

Martin O'Neill's side were reportedly keen to add the 36-time capped Slovakian international forward to their ranks, but it was Middlesbrough who pipped them to the post.

Though Strelec later revealed via the PRESSko podcast on YouTube that, "Celtic was a more realistic option in the winter, whereas this summer, it was basically not an option at all," with the only other serious option in the summer being Mexican side Monterrey.

At the time, it was seen as a real coup for Boro to acquire the services of someone of his age profile and international experience, whilst fending off strong competition for his signature in the process.

As things have transpired, however, Strelec has largely struggled since his move to The Riverside, having yet to make the impact that he, Hellberg, and Middlesbrough supporters would have been hoping for.

In 18 league appearances, Strelec has managed to find the back of the net just three times without grabbing an assist, with only ten of those 18 appearances coming as starts.

Instead, Hellberg has often preferred the pair of Morgan Whittaker and Tommy Conway up front, with the Slovak finding his minutes limited as a result.

When on the pitch, he has done little to justify his hefty fee, leaving Boro wondering whether they made a mistake in the deal to sign Strelec.

Despite his lack of output, Middlesbrough remain in the hunt for automatic promotion to the Premier League this campaign, so the choice to bring him to Teesside has done little to negatively effect their standings.

Nevertheless, Hellberg must be looking for more from Strelec as we enter the latter stages of the season, with the Slovak possessing the ability to make the difference for his side.

Whether he will be able to remains to be seen, but Hellberg must simply demand more from their most expensive summer arrival, as he could be the difference between promotion or remaining in the Championship.

Celtic, meanwhile, must be glad to not have pursued a deal to sign Strelec given his form for Boro and despite their own struggles this season.