Harley Hunt named alongside unfortunate forward as Middlesbrough FC wonderkid claim made | OneFootball

FLW's Middlesbrough pundit outlined defender Harley Hunt as a future wonderkid and one of his attacking counterparts in Sonny Finch.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Middlesbrough's academy has been churning out some incredibly talented players in recent seasons.

The club is committed to developing young players, and while that sometimes requires purchasing talent, supporters will always cherish homegrown stars.

Since 2015, standout players have included Marcus Tavernier and Djed Spence, who have gone on to bigger things, but the club still boasts an exceptional talent in Hayden Hackney. The 22-year-old has gradually established himself in the team under Michael Carrick’s management, and it’s fair to say he is currently one of the best midfielders in the Championship.

Beyond that, the club has a wealth of young talent in their Under-23s, competing in Premier League 2 against some of the best academies in England.

Who will be the next to break through this team remains to be seen, so at Football League World, we turn to our Middlesbrough pundit for a deeper insight.

Harley Hunt and Sonny Finch highlighted as Boro 'wonderkids'

Speaking to FLW, Boro pundit Jasper Hudson pinpointed young defender Harley Hunt as a name to keep an eye on.

The 17-year-old has already made his debut for the Riversiders and Hudson is really excited about what the future holds for him.

"One name that stands out is Harley Hunt," Hudson told FLW.

"He is 17 years old and played for us earlier in the season against Stoke in the EFL Cup and, while it was a disappointing result, at such a young age it was good to see him get a start.

"He joined from Swindon, and there are lots of positive things coming from their staff about him. He is quite well-liked at the club, so that creates a bit of excitement.

"We have had a few young players break through already in Hackney and Rav (Van den Berg), and it is hard to remember that they're still playing Under-21s internationally, yet they're starting for us week in, week out and are key members of the team. That is a testament to how good they've been, that they can still be considered emerging talent.

"Another name I quite like is Sonny Finch. Unfortunately, his move to MK Dons didn't work out as he got that injury, as it would have been nice to see what he could have done with a full season of first-team football."

Harley Hunt and Sonny Finch will be aiming for first-team football at Middlesbrough

The next step for these players will be securing regular game time. So far, Hunt has made just one first-team appearance, while Finch has featured six times since his debut in 2022.

Injuries this season have done neither any favours, and for a young player, setbacks like these can seriously hinder development, potentially costing them the chance to break through.

Both will be hoping that this isn't the case and that next season marks their emergence, whether at the Riverside or out on loan gaining valuable experience.

Hunt and Finch both look like promising talents and, having regularly trained with the first team, they could soon find themselves playing a more prominent role in the squad.