Middlesbrough: Ryan Giles’ Riverside return with Hull City may light fires for January move | OneFootball

The former Boro loan star returned to Teesside last weekend in Hull's 3-1 defeat, and that may have got his juices flowing over a January return...

Ryan Giles made his return to Middlesbrough as a Hull City player on 30 November, and that trip back to the Riverside Stadium might have got the juices flowing for a January transfer.

The 24-year-old came off the Hull City bench in the second half to replace Cody Drameh, but couldn't prevent his Tigers team from falling to a 3-1 defeat to his former side.

Giles received a warm welcome back to Teesside from the Middlesbrough supporters upon his introduction, and was even reminded by the home fans that he may have made the wrong career choice not staying at the club, having spent the duration of the 2022/23 season on loan with Boro from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

It was during that campaign that saw the left-back enjoy his best individual season of his senior career so far, with his pinpoint left-footed crosses being the architect behind some fantastic goals, as well as enabling him to become a real fan favourite among the Riverside faithful.

So, as the January window creeps ever closer on the horizon, and with his time at the MKM Stadium not particularly going to plan so far, his return to the North East might just have ignited a fire inside of him to pull on the red and white shirt once again.

Hull City situation could pave way for Ryan Giles' Middlesbrough return

There's just something about Giles and Middlesbrough that neither can quite seem to ignore, almost as if they are two star-crossed lovers who know they're meant to be together, but circumstances won't allow it.

Well, the pair might be in luck, as the winter window could provide the chance for the Hull defender to make his escape from the MKM Stadium, and make his way back to the Riverside.

It was reported in the summer that Middlesbrough were keen on a reunion with their former loan star, which was also understood to be something that Giles was keen on as well, but that failed to materialise.

Since then, he's struggled to cement a starting role in Hull's team, and has had to settle for more of a bit part role so far this term. For a player who's shown just how much of an impact he can make at Championship level in the past, that can't be a role he's overly thrilled or keen to play.

For a player who's made no secret of how much he enjoyed his time with Middlesbrough during the 2022/23 season, and given the respective league status of the two clubs so far this term, he will surely see Boro as a chance to join a team which has a real shot at Premier League promotion this year, and put to bed some unfinished business.

Michael Carrick has gotten the best out of Ryan Giles in his career so far

Where other managers haven't quite been able to crack the Giles puzzle, Michael Carrick certainly did during the season in which he had the left-back in his squad.

The Boro boss has demonstrated a clear desire to have attacking-minded full-backs in his team throughout his Middlesbrough tenure, and in that regard, it's fair to say that Giles has been the best of them.

His 12 assists in 48 total appearances during the 2022/23 season saw him top the Championship in that category, as he became one of the most feared players in the division that season.

As such, Carrick will feel confident that if he had his services again, he could get Giles back to that same level. If he did, adding that version of Giles to Middlesbrough's already potent attack could make all the difference in the promotion race.

It's probably safe to assume that given his struggles getting into the Hull team so far this season, his price-tag won't have increased since the summer. If anything, it will surely have fallen slightly.

If so, the possibility of adding Giles to his side for a relatively small and perhaps discounted fee, would surely be incredibly tempting for Carrick. It would also present as a relatively low-risk, high-reward gamble, the type that a promotion-chasing side should be looking to make.

Middlesbrough's left-back options do not come close to quality of 2022-23 Ryan Giles

Carrick does have plenty of options at the left-back spot in his current crop of players, but none of them have yet to really look like the long-term answers for him at that position.

Lukas Engel is a player who the Boro head coach has had to take out of the starting XI on numerous occasions, in order to protect the Dane from growing criticism over his performances.

As such, the Dane now appears to be firmly on the fringes of the squad, and has the feel of perhaps being one of the Middlesbrough contingent that could be on the chopping block in the new year.

Alex Bangura has endured a highly frustrating time since his move to Teesside in September 2023, as injuries have largely stolen his chance to stamp his authority at the left-back spot.

However, the 25-year-old is a player that Carrick has made no secret of the fact he expects to become a key figure at the Riverside, and so will surely want to take another extended look at what he has there once Bangura returns from his Achilles surgery.

Neto Borges is still finding his feet in the Middlesbrough side since his summer move from French side Clermont Foot, and despite his largely up and down performances in a Boro shirt so far, he surely won't be given up on any time soon by the club.

Even so, the Brazilian's displays can't have totally convinced Carrick that in Borges he's found his long-term fix at the position, and if he feels like a certain position can be improved in his starting XI, he's shown himself to be the type of manager who can be ruthless in that sense when acquiring reinforcements.

Therefore, it's not as if Giles would be walking into a situation where the left-back spot has been cemented by another player, the starting role would be there for him to win should he impress.