Ryan Giles on his loan learning, Chris Wilder transfer delight and Isaiah Jones excitement

Even before Ryan Giles knew of Chris Wilder's interest in securing his services this summer, the Wolves man liked the idea of playing for the Boro boss.

The 22-year-old is a student of the game and admired from afar as Wilder's Sheffield United side took the Premier League by storm in the 2019/20 season. And having spent last season on loan in the Championship, Giles also took plenty of notice of Wilder's work at Boro.

What Giles was drawn to when watching Wilder's Sheffield United and Boro sides was the pivotal role of the wing-backs: the encouragement to get forward, to play on the front foot.

And so, it's little surprise that when Giles discovered that Wilder wanted to bring him to the Riverside this season, his mind was almost immediately made up. He was further impressed by Wilder's vision and ambition after speaking to the boss. And after a few weeks on Teesside, Giles is in absolutely no doubt he's made the right decision joining Boro, who he firmly believes will be right in the promotion mix this season.

"After having the conversation with the manager, his ambition to really want to get into the Premier League appealed straight away," says Giles.

"That and the way he plays, especially for me as a wing-back, I think it's ideal for me with the way he wants his wing-backs to play."

That right there is crucial. Giles isn't a left-back or a left-winger, rather a natural wing-back which makes him the perfect fit for Boro's system. For all Neil Taylor did an admirable job last season, the former Aston Villa man is more of a left-back by trade and Boro were over-reliant on Isaiah Jones down the right hand side. Ensuring Boro were balanced was a priority for Wilder this summer.

"The system definitely suits me," says