Garry Monk's first five signings as Middlesbrough manager - Where are they now? | OneFootball

Former Middlesbrough manager, Garry Monk signed 11 new faces during his short stint at the helm in the North East.

Having just been relegated from the Premier League, Boro were hoping to make an immediate return under new manager, Monk.

The campaign did not appear to be going as planned, and Monk was relived of his duties on Christmas Eve despite beating Sheffield Wednesday in his final game. Towards the end of the season, results picked up, and a top-six spot was secured.

Today, we are looking at Monk's first five signings as Middlesbrough manager and seeing where they are now.

Jonny Howson

Things started well for Monk, as his first addition on Teesside was Jonny Howson, who is still with the club six-years later and commanding a place in the starting XI at 35-years-old.

He has been an ever-present in the Boro side in recent years, missing no more than five games a season since joining. His tally of almost 300 appearances has rendered him a cult-hero.

Cyrus Christie

Cyrus Christie entered the Riverside Stadium on the same day as Howson, but the two had contrasting fortunes at the club. Whilst Howson has been there six years, Christie only managed six months.

Overall, the former Republic of Ireland international played on 26 occasions and departed just a month after Monk, as Fulham came calling.

Christie now plies his trade for Hull City. He first signed last summer and has been a rotation option ever since.

Martin Braithwaite

Monk's third Middlesbrough signing was striker, Martin Braithwaite. The Dane was an exciting addition to the club's ranks and cost £9 million.

Braithwaite started life well, netting five and assisting two in the first half of the 2017/18 campaign, but was shipped to Bordeaux on loan in January. An unsuccessful return the following season resulted in him leaving permanently at the start of 2019.

A shock move to Barcelona followed, and the 32-year-old now lines up for fellow Spanish outfit, Espanyol, who were recently relegated from La Liga.

Britt Assombalonga

Britt Assombalonga was another big money addition, and currently plays in Turkey with Antalyaspor, who he joined last month. The former Watford man has featured four times for his new employers but is yet to find the back of the net.

During his time in North Yorkshire, the club-record £15 million signing impressed. His four-year spell began fantastically. A 15-goal haul was followed by 25 strikes over the next two seasons. A quieter final term showed that his powers were fading, and a move away from Middlesbrough was necessary.

He currently plays for Antalyaspor after leaving Watford.

Darren Randolph

Darren Randolph was the fifth player added to Garry Monk's ranks. He was a good servant for the club, playing over 100 games in two-and-a-half years.

The 36-year-old's greatest campaign saw him keep 19 clean sheets and earn a spot in the Championship Team of the Seasonteam in 2018/19.

Darren Randolph is currently employed by Bournemouth, where he signed an 18-month deal in January.