Football Season Guide

Middlesbrough are back in the Championship at the end of their Premier League adventure but have signalled their desire to immediately return to the top flight with some eye catching business. Firstly Garry Monk has surprisingly joined the club as a new boss which on paper appears to be a bit of a coup given how well he did at Leeds last term. The biggest transfer fee they have spent this summer is £15 million for Britt Assombalonga from Nottingham Forest, an extraordinary sum for this level of football and one that suggests they mean business. Ashley Fletcher has arrived from West Ham while Martin Braithwaite has also joined from Toulouse to further enhance the attack. Boro's ambition is quite clear and they have also spent a rather large fee of £5 million on a goalkeeper, Darren Randolph from West Ham and he will rival Dimi Konstantopolos for the No.1 jersey. Monk has shown his vast experience of this division by raiding Derby for right back Cyrus Christie and Norwich for Jonny Howson. Monk's former player from Swansea Connor Roberts has also arrived on loan. These are quite significant additions so they may take some time to gel together. Boro have allowed a number of mainly foreign players to leave the club, the biggest of which appears to be Christian Stuani's departure. Much could also depend on whether they keep hold of Ben Gibson, who has been a key figure at the heart of the defence in recent times. There is certainly reason to feel positive around the Riverside despite the abject disappointment of last season and Boro should be contenders.