Middlesbrough’s defeat to Hull City in the Championship play-off final last season meant the Teesside club missed out on football’s most valuable prise money, yet they could still be in line for a large payout before the end of the summer.

While last season did not go as planned for Middlesbrough, there is still plenty of reason to be optimistic about next year.

Borough produced some of the greatest football in the Championship under Kim Hellberg, and while only two wins in their final ten league games saw them fall from automatic promotion to the play-offs, most fans recognised the vision the Swedish head coach was striving to achieve.

With Southampton booted from the play-offs for spying, Middlesbrough was forced to face Hull City in the final, with Oli McBurnie’s late goal relegating Borough to another year in the second division.

Missing out on a Premier League spot and a potential £180 million to £220 million prise windfall will hurt Borough, but not everything is doom and gloom at the Riverside, as the club might still receive a significant inflow of money soon.

Steve Gibson will focus on Arsenal’s pursuit of Aston Villa forward. Morgan Rogers

Middlesbrough are preparing for their eleventh consecutive season in the Championship after being relegated from the Premier League in 2017, and owner Steve Gibson will be desperate to see his club return to the top level next year, especially after failing at the final hurdle last time.

Myles Peart-Harris is their only new signing so yet, joining on a free transfer from Oxford United, while Jeremy Sarmiento’s loan from Brighton & Hove Albion has turned permanent.

Aston Villa forward Lewis Dobbin has been linked with a move to Teesside, as has Hull City striker Kyle Joseph, as Hellberg seeks to strengthen his offensive options at the Riverside ahead of next season.

With Borough yet to spend heavily following the opening of the summer window, one key factor may have a significant impact on their spending power, as they are not only hoping for Villa to do them a favour in a deal for Dobbin, but also hoping the Midlands outfit can strike a record-breaking deal for the sale of Morgan Rogers, with Arsenal lurking.

Rogers, 23, has been one of the Premier League’s most brilliant players in recent seasons, establishing himself as Villa’s main attacking option, and has been linked with expensive moves overseas.

The England international progressed through the ranks at West Bromwich Albion before completing a potential £6 million move to Manchester City in 2019, where he spent time on loan with Lincoln City, Bournemouth, and Blackpool before joining Borough on a permanent basis in the summer of 2023 for just £1 million.

Aston Villa paid a potential £16 million for the forward after he scored seven goals and provided nine assists in 33 games, with Borough including a 20% sell-on clause in the contract.

Rogers is now being linked with a move worth well over £100 million, with TEAMtalk saying that only an offer of more than £116 million, the sum Manchester City just paid for Elliot Anderson, will suffice.

If a bid of £120 million is accepted, Borough will receive about a £24 million windfall as a result of a stipulation in the contract, radically transforming their summer window.

Villa will certainly strive for the highest possible sum in the event of a sale for their own advantage, but Borough will also encourage the Europa League champions to raise the fee as much as possible.

Borough owner Gibson will be salivating at the thought of Rogers’ sale this summer, with the sell-on option proving to be an absolute masterstroke in terms of negotiations from Middlesbrough’s standpoint.

Middlesbrough will be hoping a deal for Morgan Rogers can be finalised quickly so they can increase their summer business.

As Borough awaits the verdict on Rogers’ fate this summer, there will be rising expectation on Teesside that the purchase is completed as quickly as possible.

Although Middlesbrough does not lack funds, any profitable sale of Rogers would almost probably reshape their summer window and the types of moves they could make.

Head coach Hellberg will be just as eager as Gibson to see any deal for the England international completed as quickly as possible, because the sooner Rogers is sold, the more time Borough will have to make moves in the market.

Borough will be hoping that Arsenal can reach an agreement with Villa sooner rather than later, as this deal will be key to their summer window.