Bristol City, Southampton transfer miss could see Middlesbrough reach Premier League: View | OneFootball

The addition of Finn Azaz in January is already looking like a fantastic piece of business by Middlesbrough, with the playmaker wasting no time in proving just how influential he can be for the Teessiders going forward.

The Republic of Ireland international made the move to The Riverside three months ago for a fee said to be around the £2 million mark; having left Aston Villa after three years at the club.

Boro were said to have fought off keen interest from Championship rivals Bristol City and Southampton for the 23-year-old’s signature, after the creative midfielder caught the eye while on loan at Plymouth Argyle.

Having taken a while to find his feet in the north east, Azaz is proving himself to be a top operator in the final third under Michael Carrick, and will provide that extra bit of quality Boro need to compete at the top of the table for the next campaign.

Finn Azaz impresses for Plymouth Argyle and Middlesbrough

After initially rising to prominence for Newport County in 2021/22, Azaz has gone from strength to strength over recent campaigns, with the previous campaign seeing him rack up 16 goal contributions for Argyle while on loan in the third tier.

Despite missing a portion of the campaign with a broken ankle, the Aston Villa loanee proved himself to be well above the level with a number of match-winning performances, as the Devon side stormed to the title and a return to the Championship.

The midfielder continued where he’d left off after returning to Home Park for the start of the current campaign, with his ability to thread the eye of the needle coupled with a tendency to produce simply outrageous strikes turning heads higher up the football pyramid.

Having been recalled from his season-long loan in Devon at the start of January, Azaz was swiftly on the move from Villa Park once again as Boro stumped up the cash to sign him on a permanent deal, and must be looking at that transfer fee as an absolute bargain.

Seemingly comfortable with either foot, the former Cheltenham Town loanee can unlock Championship defences in an instant with a flick of either boot, with the latest example of his quick-thinking while on the move coming in the recent clash with Hull City.

After receiving the ball in transition, the midfielder had the presence of mind to find Isaiah Jones charging past him on the right, before making his own dash into the penalty area to receive the return pass, control elegantly, and fire in the equaliser.

With five goal contributions already since his January arrival seeing him play a part in 0.45 goals per 90 minutes played on Teesside, Azaz rivals the likes of Sam Silvera (0.43) and Riley McGree (0.36) for involvements in crucial moments in his time as a Boro player, with that stat only likely to improve once he fully engrains himself into the team.

Carrick has established himself as a boss who loves to see his side on the front foot and attacking, and that philosophy will see the London-born star thrive as the focal point of everything going forward for his side.

With a return of 3.39 progressive carries per 90, only Jones and Silvera out of Boro’s first-team regulars can top his regularity of getting his side up the field with purpose, with the Teessiders currently ranking in the top five for xG in the whole division.

Finn Azaz Middlesbrough FC contract information

The good news for Boro fans is the fact that Azaz has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal at The Riverside, with his contract running until the summer of 2028.

The former Aston Villa man has everything it takes to lead his new side to a battle for automatic promotion this season, with the north east club’s recent form an indicator of what we can expect from him and his teammates for the following campaign.

The Teessiders are unbeaten in their last nine Championship games after last weekend’s 1-1 draw with promotion-chasing Ipswich Town, with a number of strong performances highlighting their step up in quality since the start of the campaign.

Their January acquisition has been as crucial to that turnaround in form as anyone, and despite the playoffs being just out of reach for the current campaign, the early warning signs are there for the rest of the division that Boro are a team to be feared for the following season.