How much of a transfer profit have Middlesbrough FC made on Rav van den Berg - it’s impressive | OneFootball

Rav van den Berg is set for the exit door at Middlesbrough after an agreement with FC Koln was reached

Middlesbrough have sanctioned the sale of Rav van den Berg to FC Koln in an eight-figure deal.

It was reported by Sky Sports journalist Lyall Thomas that the clubs have agreed a deal worth just over £11 million.

The defender spent two years at the Riverside, featuring as a key part of the team under Michael Carrick throughout that time.

However, he was absent for Boro’s opening league fixture of the new campaign, which Rob Edwards’ side won 1-0 against Swansea City.

It is now apparent that the Dutchman has made his final appearance for Middlesbrough, having arrived from PEC Zwolle just two years ago, and he's set to be confirmed as a Koln player imminently.

Middlesbrough’s sizable Van den Berg profit

Middlesbrough are set to earn a major profit from the fee paid to sign Van den Berg back in 2023.

It has been claimed that the club’s initial transfer fee to sign the defender amounted to £260,000.

Boro are now set to earn up to £11 million for the player, which is money that can now be reinvested back into the first team squad before the 1 September deadline.

Excluding any add-on or sell-on clauses within Middlesbrough deals, that works out to a base profit of £10.74 million, representing outstanding recruitment and subsequent profit from the Teessiders to identify a player with such high resale value at a low cost and develop him to net a significant eight-figure outlay.

Van den Berg proved a top quality Championship defender throughout his time at the Riverside, where he made 61 league appearances across two campaigns.

He helped the Teesside outfit earn eighth and 10th place finishes, with the team narrowly missing out on a play-off place on both occasions.

Van den Berg won’t feature under new manager Edwards, who was appointed manager over the summer after the decision to part ways with Carrick.

Carrick was in charge when the Dutchman arrived at Middlesbrough for just £260,000, which was an example of some of the smart business the club have done in recent years.

Van den Berg has a contract with the Championship side until the summer of 2027, but is now closing in on a departure to the Bundesliga.

Middlesbrough’s big player sales

Middlesbrough have earned a reputation within the division for selling players for big profits.

Van den Berg is the latest example of the kind of huge increase in value they’ve been able to generate on players.

Emmanuel Latte Lath was sold last January to MLS side Atlanta United in a deal worth a reported £22.5 million, making him the most expensive sale in the club’s history.

Djed Spence is another recent player sale that earned the club a sizable fee, having produced the defender from their academy system.

It was claimed that Boro earned £12.5 million up front from Tottenham Hotspur in the 2022 summer transfer window, with another £7.5 million in add-ons also included in the deal.

The signing of Morgan Rogers in the 2023 summer transfer window led to Aston Villa securing a move for him just six months later.

It was reported that Middlesbrough earned an initial £8 million fee, rising to £16 million with add-ons after he impressed in the first half of the 2023/24 campaign.

Van den Berg’s value rising from £260,000 to just over £11 million is a sign of the kind of improvements players make at the Riverside, making them an attractive option for prospective signings.