Middlesbrough got demoted to the Championship owing to their helpless run of form last season in the Premier League. The Smoggies have kicked off their campaign in the English second division is a hot-and-cold manner, having bagged 7 points from their 5 outings and are placed 9th in the league table. But then, to secure a playoff spot, they will have to fare in a better manner.
They are under the tutelage of Garry Monk and have made some stupendous signings so far this summer in order considerably beef up his arsenal. The likes of Britt Assombalonga, Ashley Fletcher, Martin Braithwaite and Jonathan Howson are the galvanizing names being signed, but Monk is far from being a satisfied manager with the resources he possesses. He is targeting to significantly tighten the screws at the back.
Monk went very close to securing a promotion with Leeds United last season but his side withered during the business end of the season. One of the loopholes that have been evident from their fixtures so far is that they have looked shaky at the back. The summer transfer window has reached its final days and the former manager of the Whites is apparently looking for some significant additions to cultivate more resilience in his backline.
If one of the latest reports is to be believed, the Boro are competing with Premier League outfit Crystal Palace in order to sign Slavia Prague’s defender Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui for a fee which is believed to be around £3million. The Cameroon international caught a lot of attention from the football fraternity as he helped his national side clinch the African Cup of Nations earlier this year.
Ngadeu-Ngadjui is a versatile player who has the ability to ply his trade as a centre-back, central midfielder as well as a central defensive midfielder. He also assisted Slavia to win the league title in his debut season, emerging as one of the most productive players of the Czech Republic based outfit and has thus inked his place in the good books of the fans. Besides, he has accumulated a fair amount of experience under his belt as well.
Middlesbrough have splashed a handsome amount of cash and it goes without saying that if Monk is satisfied that the 26-year-old would be a stellar addition, he wouldn’t hesitate to make a move. The Riverside Stadium based outfit would be keen to earn an immediate promotion and someone like Ngadeu-Ngadjui has the calibre to help them in the process.
