"If not next season" - Middlesbrough duo tipped to reach Premier League | OneFootball

FLW's Middlesbrough fan pundit has given his verdict on which player in the squad should be competing at a higher level

Middlesbrough have made a solid start to the new Championship season as the club eyes a promotion push under Michael Carrick.

Boro finished eighth in the table last year, missing out on a play-off place by just four points, having been inside the top six in the previous campaign.

The Teesside outfit have earned14 points from their opening nine fixtures, sitting five behind leaders Sunderland.

Carrick will be hoping that some of his key players like Emmanuel Latte Lath, Hayden Hackney and Rav van den Berg can step up to help the club close down the gap to the top sides.

Boro have not competed in the top flight since 2017, but could be in with a chance at a place back in the division this year.

Middlesbrough players ready for the next level

When asked which player should be competing at a higher level, FLW’s Middlesbrough fan pundit Jasper Hudson claimed that Rav van den Berg is the closest to being ready for life in the top flight.

He also singled out Hayden Hackney and Aidan Morris as potential Premier League players, although he believes all three still need more time in the Championship before making that leap.

“As of right now, I’m not sure would any of our players be starting in the Premier League, really,” Hudson told Football League World.

“I think we’ve got players that could be squad players in the Premier League.

“I think Hackney and Rav van den Berg are the two that stand out to me.

“Hackney, I think is just getting more and more professional in that role, and I think in one or two years’ time he could be a squad player for a Premier League side no bother.

“Rav van den Berg I think is a player that, if not next season, the season after, will be playing in the Premier League.

“He’s a centre-back who fits a lot of teams’ profiles, he wants to get on the ball, he’s calm under pressure, likes to play out from the back, but he’s also a real defender.

“He’s happy to slide, reads the game well, good in the air, really composed in one-on-one situations and always makes a good challenge.

“Another player I think, again with a few years of development in the Championship, is Aidan Morris.

“He’s a very busy midfielder, likes to get around but is so technically good.

“I think his passing is one of the best I’ve seen in a long time in the Championship, and I think given a season or two to get used to the English game, and develop under Michael Carrick, and I think he could definitely be a player for a mid-table Premier League side.”

Rav van den Berg and Hayden Hackney’s importance to Middlesbrough

Van den Berg signed for Middlesbrough in the summer of 2023, and immediately went on to cement himself as a key part of Carrick’s side, featuring 34 times in the league last season (all stats from Fbref).

Hackney emerged from the academy to become regular in the first team squad following Carrick’s appointment as manager two years ago, and is now an important figure in the starting lineup.

The pair maintaining their strong start to this season will be crucial to the club’s promotion ambition, with Hackney scoring big goals in wins over Stoke City and West Brom.

Next up for Middlesbrough is a home game against Bristol City on 19 October.

Van den Berg and Hackney have Premier League potential

Van den Berg and Hackney have stood out while playing for Boro under Carrick, and it will come as no surprise if major transfer interest is shown in 2025 for them.

The pair are young, talented players with a lot of potential and could yet compete at the highest level in the game.

If Boro fail to gain promotion, then it will prove very difficult to hold onto either of them beyond this season.