Middlesbrough manager Kim Hellberg has underlined the club's hopes that this summer's attacking additions will help remedy a recognised problem from last season: finishing the chances the team creates.
Encouraging signs from new signings
In the 3-3 friendly with Espanyol, Will Lankshear and Kyle Joseph — both recruited this summer — found themselves at the centre of Hellberg's post-match appraisal. The manager singled out their on-field attributes and their attitudes as reasons for optimism as the club builds towards the competitive season.
"Will as a nine is absolutely brilliant, he's mobile, he can do almost anything,"
Hellberg also pointed to the specific speed Kyle Joseph brings to the forward line, and reminded listeners of the underlying issue the club seeks to address: Middlesbrough created a high volume of clear chances last season but failed to convert them at a satisfactory rate.
What the signings mean for Boro
- Will Lankshear — deployed as a number nine and praised for mobility and all-round ability on the ball.
- Kyle Joseph — noted for his pace and the threat that adds to the forward line.
- Managerial focus — Hellberg has made improving finishing a priority in his early work with the squad.
Hellberg told BBC Radio Tees he is "looking forward to keep working with both Kyle and Will", describing them as players who are not only talented but also committed to improvement and of good character. That emphasis on temperament is significant for a side hoping to convert promise in pre-season into points once the competitive matches begin.
Local context and expectations
For Middlesbrough supporters, pre-season friendlies are as much about assessing recruitment and squad balance as they are about results. The 3-3 scoreline against a European opponent will have offered both encouragement — the team can score — and a reminder that defensive and finishing issues remain areas to sharpen.
| Player | Highlighted quality |
|---|---|
| Will Lankshear | Mobility and all-round forward play |
| Kyle Joseph | Pace |
Hellberg's assessments, delivered publicly on local airwaves, will be monitored closely by fans and the club's civic stakeholders. Transfers are expensive and expectations high in a town that regards Boro as a central civic institution; early signs of chemistry and improved finishing will be important both on the pitch and in sustaining supporter confidence ahead of the new campaign.
As pre-season continues, attention in Middlesbrough will turn to whether the new forwards can translate their promising traits into sustained goal returns in competitive fixtures — the metric by which transfer success is most closely judged.
