Chris Wilder makes confident Middlesbrough transfer claim

Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder believes he has owner Steve Gibson’s full backing for the upcoming summer transfer window, making this confident statement to Teesside Live.

Boro endured considerable changes last summer in their quest to be more competitive, with 12 players being brought in as Neil Warnock looked to take the Championship side back to the Premier League.

He was replaced in November by Wilder, who was also given the chance to strengthen his side further in the winter as he brought in four players in total.

Though Caolan Boyd-Munce is perhaps one for the future, Aaron Connolly, Folarin Balogun and Riley McGree are all expected to contribute heavily to the cause between now and the end of the season with a potential play-off campaign on the horizon.

That investment could potentially lead to Boro having a quieter window when the summer comes along, especially if they remain in the second tier with the need to abide by the EFL’s profitability and sustainability rules.

League rivals Reading are required to work within a tight budget next season because they breached the governing body’s limits, a stern warning to others who are tempted to break the rules in a desperate attempt to get to the top flight.

Despite this, Boro boss Wilder is confident of more investment in the coming months, with Gibson potentially having the financial leeway to make further changes to the first-team squad.

Wilder said: “The boys have all done well, but it’s a cutthroat industry and we’ve all got different views and some difficult decisions to make in the summer to improve the group.

“The chairman knows how I roll and he’ll back me and do whatever he needs to do to get it looking as we all want it to look.”

The Verdict:

The Teesside