Middlesbrough FC warned about "huge risk" factor in any Timothy Fosu-Mensah deal | OneFootball

There are pros and cons to Middlesbrough considering this free agent

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…

Former Bayer Leverkusen defender and current free agent Timothy Fosu-Mensah has been pitched to a number of clubs, including Middlesbrough.

The potential move comes from a report by WalesOnline, which states that Fosu-Mensah has also been offered to Swansea City, Queens Park Rangers and Stoke City.

Fosu-Mensah has been without a club since his contract with Leverkusen expired in the summer, and has not played in a competitive fixture since a substitute appearance against RB Leipzig in April 2023.

With news of Boro’s link, we asked our Middlesbrough Fan Pundit, Jasper, for his thoughts on the potential deal.

Fosu-Mensah move deemed risky by Middlesbrough fan

Speaking to Football League World, Jasper said: “Signing Fosu-Mensah, while there’s not a lot of risk in it, it's sort of just adding a player for the sake of it, potentially.

“He can obviously play right-back and a bit of cover at centre-back as well, which could be good, especially if we don't get [George] Edmundson on a short deal, just to provide a bit of extra depth.

“Because, for whatever reason, we seem really unlucky with injuries. Just as [Luke] Ayling returns from injury, [Anfernee] Dijksteel is injured.

“So, if there was a deal to be done, a short six months, just to the end of the season, just to provide a bit of extra depth and cover, I wouldn't be against that, but there is a huge risk over him having not played competitively since April 2023.

“So, whilst he's still young and there's plenty of talent, or there was plenty of talent at the time, where he is now ability-wise, it could just be adding a player for the sake of adding a player, as opposed to improving the squad.

“Unless there are desperate injury needs, unless we lose one more defender to injury, I don't see the need of the minute, but if there is an injury, if Ayling gets injured again or one of the centre-backs, it could be a good option to bring in quickly for six months to just provide that depth and cover.”

Fosu-Mensah may be worth a punt

There are obvious risks that come with signing a player who has had such a gap since his last professional minutes, as outlined by Jasper.

But Fosu-Mensah has, albeit fairly short-lived, Premier League, Bundesliga, Champions League and Europa League experience to his name, the sort of varied CV that is not always immediately available to Championship clubs.

Furthermore, the Dutchman came through the world-renowned Ajax academy system, before moving on to Manchester United’s setup, at the same time that current Boro boss Michael Carrick was still with the Reds.

That means, above all else, if Boro were to take a punt on Fosu-Mensah, they could relax in the knowledge that Carrick would likely know exactly what type of character and player he was bringing into the club.

With the former Dutch international currently training with his old academy side, Ajax, it shows the player’s drive to get back into the game.

Given his position, he will likely readily accept a short-term, favourable deal that will mean little risk to a club like Boro, just for an opportunity to prove himself.