Middlesbrough has made a proposal for Columbus Crew’s Max Arfsten
Middlesbrough have signed Columbus Crew wing-back Max Arfsten as they look to bolster Rob Edwards’ squad for the new season.
As first reported by GiveMeSport in the United States, Boro are also interested in recruiting Arfsten’s former teammate Aidan Morris, according to Teesside Live. It comes on the same day that they reached a deal with Blackburn for right-sided winger Callum Brittain.
With Rob Edwards obviously committed to wing-backs, a new left-sided player became just as crucial as a right-sided one. It came after Alex Bangura suffered a new injury early in the preseason, and Neto Borges appears to be better suited to a centre-back role in a three-man defence. As a result, Sammy Silvera has spent the most of the preseason playing wingback.
According to Stateside, Boro’s offer for Arfsten is valued approximately £2.25 million. As of now, there is no indication if Columbus has accepted or rejected the offer, having previously turned down a deal from French club Toulouse this summer. But Boro’s interest is undeniably real.
Boro kept an eye on Arfsten after spotting him while scouting Morris. In addition to breaking into Mauricio Pochettino’s USA side over the previous year and helping them reach the Gold Cup final, he has also starred for Columbus due to his attacking versatility.
Last season, he had five goals and seven assists in all competitions, and he’s been a crucial player this season in a team that is presently fourth, with four goals and three assists. His goal is to get a spot in the World Cup squad next summer, where he will compete with Fulham sensation Antonee Robinson.
In other news, one player scouted by Boro appears to be no longer available. Pavel Sulc, a skilled Czech attacker who was thought to be a player of interest, is likely to join French club Lyon. It comes after Viktoria Plzen agreed to sell for a fee of up to €10 million.
Boro are expected to add a forward this summer to improve their options behind the main scorer. However, much rests on the ongoing potential sale of Hayden Hackney. Boro would have required that much income to even consider signing the Czech international. He was one of the players on Boro’s list for attacking roles. However, no final decision has been made on which of them they want until they hear if the sale of Hackney will increase their budget. However, it appears that Sulc will need to be removed from the list.
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