"I don't feel" - Middlesbrough FC: Ryan Giles, Jorgen Strand Larsen regrets addressed | OneFootball

FLW's Boro fan pundit wonders what it would've been like if they had signed these two players in the past

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Middlesbrough may have found negatives in not signing Ryan Giles and Jorgen Strand Larsen in the past, but that has also provided a silver lining over the years with other players coming to the Riverside Stadium.

Boro have missed out on many targets in past seasons, but they have also found success in looking for alternatives. One example is Giles. He played for Boro during the 2022/23 season, but only on a loan deal from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and he certainly flourished in his time with eleven assists in the league that season.

When it came to signing him on a permanent deal, it proved to be an outcome which was out of Boro's hands, as Giles opted to move to the Premier League, signing for Luton Town - a move which didn't work out in the end, and now resides at Hull City.

Another example which links Wolves with Boro is Jorgen Strand Larsen, who joined the West Midlands side for a transfer fee of £25 million. Boro were keen on signing the then Groningen striker in 2022, but a deal never came to fruition.

Giles and Strand Larsen would have been interesting Boro signings

FLW's Middlesbrough fan pundit, Jasper Hudson, has given his thoughts on the two players who he believed would've made interesting captures if they had deals completed.

"A player we were recently linked with was Ryan Giles. Obviously, it was known that he was a key part of the side that got into the play-offs, and it's a shame we were never able to bring him back.

"I think we've tried to replace him at left-back with three signings in Engel, Bangura and Neto Borges, but I don't think we've come close, they've all got different qualities, which overshadows Giles, who was never defensively good, but he was really good at attacking and was crucial to how we played in the 22/23 season.

"This season, I'm not sure if he would actually fit in that well. I'm sure we could accommodate him, but I feel like we have a slightly different set-up now.

Giles could've certainly proved to be a success at Championship level at least, but someone like Strand Larsen is different, mainly because of the players that Boro have signed to spearhead their attack on the back of missing out on the current Wolves man.

He continued: "Another one that stands out was two years ago, when we were in for Strand Larsen at Groningen. He ended up going to Celta Vigo, and now finds himself with four goals in the Premier League for Wolves.

"He's leading the line for them, and it would've been interesting to see how that signing would've worked out.

"He could've become a long-term striker for us and go on to do good things. However, it did mean we acquired Latte Lath and Tommy Conway, who we probably wouldn't have had if we had signed Strand Larsen.

"I don't feel we've lost out too heavily with the players we've been able to sign instead."

Middlesbrough's silver lining

Both would probably have made good acquisitions for Boro. Strand Larsen had a good goalscoring record and work off the ball, whereas they already knew of Giles' ability as something of a Championship assist king.

But, Jasper is right to point out that it may have never opened the door for other arrivals.

Latte Lath has been a revelation since signing for Michael Carrick's side in 2023 from Atalanta, and you'd find very few fans who would opt to replace him for Strand Larsen now.

Conway is also proving a strong capture from Bristol City, so it doesn't seem all bad for Boro.

The left-back situation is slightly different. As Jasper stated, the slight system change may not have suited Giles, but it could've been a quick fix for Carrick, who still plays the usual 4-2-3-1 - you might even argue that with Giles still around, there would've been little need to tweak anyway.

The change has seen a more reserved stance taken on the left-hand side now, whereas with Giles they encouraged him to be more attacking. They have yet to find a really strong candidate to replace him since his stint at the Riverside.

It seemed Boro didn't have a say in the matter, with Giles eyes firmly set on Premier League football, and despite their failures in left-back acquisitions, Luke Ayling and Anfernee Dijksteel proved to be a strong full-back duo in Boro's 5-1 demolition of Luton.