Middlesbrough are just days away from reopening the summer transfer market for the 2026/27 Championship season, with Kim Hellberg hoping to plot another promotion attempt at the Riverside Stadium.
The Swede was a highly regarded figure before arriving on Teesside in November following Rob Edwards’ controversial transfer to Wolverhampton Wanderers, and his feelings have largely remained unchanged despite Boro’s failure to return to the Premier League via automatic promotion and the play-offs.
A poor run of form from March onwards saw their automatic promotion hopes dashed by a resurgent Ipswich Town, before they suffered further heartbreak at Wembley Stadium against Hull City last weekend, with Oli McBurnie’s 95th-minute winner capping off an emotional and exhausting play-off campaign for Hellberg and his squad, following the well-documented spygate debacle.
However, a first play-off final appearance since their 2015 loss to Norwich City at Wembley Stadium represented the Reds’ best finish since dropping out of the Premier League nine years ago, and there will undoubtedly be hope that the club can go one better if their recruitment is completed ahead of the new season, which begins in mid-August.
Borough have already published their released/retained list for the off-season, with Jeremy Sarmiento’s loan move from Brighton and Hove Albion becoming permanent due to an appearance-related clause that was triggered, though the Ecuadorian isn’t the only current loanee generating a lot of transfer talk.
Matt Targett Issues Middlesbrough FC message as Derby County pose a transfer threat.
That, of course, refers to seasoned defender Matt Targett, who has spent the majority of the season on loan at North East rivals Newcastle United.
The 30-year-old was signed from Newcastle in Edwards’ first transfer window after falling down the pecking order during Eddie Howe’s spell at St James’ Park, and he has been a staple in the centre and left sides of defence under both the former manager and Hellberg.
Targett, who cost Newcastle a reported £15 million four years ago after an initial loan spell from Aston Villa, scored four goals and assisted four times in 42 appearances during the regular season before playing every minute of the play-off campaign against another former club, Southampton, and then the Tigers in North London.
Targett has been open to turning his loan spell at the Riverside into a permanent deal, with his Newcastle contract set to expire next month, but Football League World exclusively revealed earlier this week that divisional rivals Derby County pose a threat on that front, having missed out on the play-offs in John Eustace’s first full season in charge.
However, Targett’s raw feeling of losing in the play-off final is still evident, as he turned to Instagram to say, “Gutting way for it all to end.
“Felt like we had a special group of players that had enough to get this club back to the Premier League,” he said.A huge thank you to everyone of the fans who have supported us this season, including myself. It means a lot.”
Derby County’s ownership dilemma may impact Matt Targett’s move choice.
It remains to be seen where Targett will be in the new season, but the Rams’ current ownership dispute may have an impact on them.
While Steve Gibson is known for heavily investing in his hometown club, sources suggest that Derby has conducted negotiations with Saudi Arabian boxing tycoon Turki Alalshikh about future investment.
With Targett reportedly earning £60,000 per week in the Championship, the East Midlands club may believe that a large sum of potential investment will help their cause; however, Borough are also bracing for increased interest in Hayden Hackney following their Wembley defeat, with a potential eight-figure sum likely to help Hellberg reinvest throughout his squad.
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