Middlesbrough

Harrogate Town have signed Middlesbrough midfielder Brayden Johnson on a season-long loan deal.

The 20-year-old joined Boro from non-league Eastbourne in January 2025.

He ended last season on loan with Kidderminster in National League North and made 10 appearances as they won promotion.

He could make his debut for Simon Weaver's men, who have won both of their National League games this season, in Saturday's home game against Barrow.

Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg has spoken of his admiration for former Boro boss Tony Mowbray ahead of their first meeting in the dugout.

Hellberg's side head to Ewood Park on Saturday (15:00 BST) to face Blackburn, who are playing the first home game of Mowbray's second spell in charge of Rovers, more than nine years after his first began.

The Saltburn-born 62-year-old played nearly 350 league games for Boro over an 11-year stay and also managed the club he grew up supporting from 2010 until 2013.

In February 2024 Mowbray was diagnosed with bowel cancer and quit as Birmingham City boss as he underwent treatment and his only job in football since was a four-month spell at West Brom early in 2025, with much of his time since devoted to following the fortunes of Boro as their promotion push fell narrowly short last season.

Hellberg told BBC Radio Tees: "I know he's seen a lot of games and probably enjoyed a lot of things we have done on the pitch and how we've played.

"In many ways I think we're similar in the way we look at the game. I am looking forward to meeting him."

Mowbray's side were denied an eye-catching win at Wolves in their opening game by a last-gasp equaliser and Hellberg added: "I think he's shown many times at different clubs that he's a brilliant coach.

"The impressive thing about (the Wolves game) wasn't the result, though I think they deserved three points, it was how they played, how brave they were - that comes from the manager and how he gets that into the players to express themselves. He's done a brilliant job."

Boro dominated a goalless draw at Ewood Park in March in the midst of a seven-match winless streak which derailed their automatic promotion push.

Hellberg added: "We had a lot of opportunities but couldn't get the the goal we needed in that game.

"They have changed a lot since last season. They have a new style of play. It's going to be a very good, open football game.

"They will have a very attack-minded approach to the game. Blackburn showed against one of the favourites how good they can be. We're looking forward to the challenge."

Midfielder Aidan Morris returns to the squad, forward David Strelec is 50/50 to be in the squad but defender Ashley Phillips may not be ready to feature until September.

Bolton won on their return to the Championship, but how can they compete with their big-spending rivals?

Listen to the newest episode of the 72+ podcast as Aaron Paul and Jobi McAnuff are joined by Bolton manager Steven Schumacher to break down the opening weekend of league fixtures in the EFL.

The panel also discuss Will Lankshear's dream start at Middlesbrough, how Southampton will deal with being pantomime villains after Spygate and whether VAR is needed in the Championship after a blatant handball helped West Bromwich Albion beat Norwich.

Plus, Jack Wilshere joins the pod after his Luton side came from 3-1 down to beat Reading in their opener, and he talks about his first pre-season as a first-team boss.

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These two sides made promising starts to the season with only a stoppage-time penalty denying Blackburn a win at Wolves last Friday while Middlesbrough came from behind to beat Lincoln City 2-1.

This is also a game which sees Rovers boss Tony Mowbray come up against a side he managed between 2010 and 2013 and where he started his playing career, making more than 300 appearances in a Boro shirt.

• Blackburn Rovers have lost just one of their past six league games against Middlesbrough (W2 D3), keeping four clean sheets across the past five of those matches.

• Each of the two league games between Blackburn and Middlesbrough finished goalless last season, while the past five have witnessed just three goals in total.

• Blackburn have won five of their past six opening home games of a league season, though did lose their last such fixture 2-1 to Birmingham last campaign.

• Middlesbrough are hoping to win their opening two league games of a campaign for the second season running; prior to that, Boro had not completed the feat at all since 1994-95.

• Middlesbrough's Tommy Conway has netted four goals across seven league games against Blackburn, his joint-most against any team in his career. His four goals have come from just six shots on target.

Image source, Getty Images

Goalkeeper Seny Dieng has left Middlesbrough after having his contract cancelled by mutual consent so he can join Greek Super League side Atromitos.

The 31-year-old joined Boro from QPR for £2.2m in July 2023 and made 52 league appearances for the Teessiders.

Dieng, who is a Senegal international, started his career with Zurich-based Grasshoppers having been born in the Swiss city before joining Duisburg in Germany in February 2016.

He had not played for Middlesbrough since December 2024 and made three appearances on loan with Sheffield Wednesday last season.

A Will Lankshear brace helped Middlesbrough come from behind to beat Lincoln City 2-1 in their opening game of the new Championship season on Saturday.

The striker joined Boro from Tottenham in the summer and won the game for the home side with a 92nd-minute goal after the Imps had taken the lead through Adam Reach.

We asked for your thoughts and here is a selection of what Middlesbrough and Lincoln fans have had to say on the game:

Middlesbrough fans:

Dave - Absolutely shocking first-half tactics - pass sideways, backwards and then lose the ball. An improved second half with substitutions but we would be sunk without Lankshear.

Bert - Rather good first match. Space for improvement with these players. Defence more resolute, attacking more pace and switch quicker from right to left. Boro will end up in the top six.

Stephen - Very fortunate to win after a poor first-half display. They managed to get it right in the second half but the defensive frailties are there for all to see.

Roger - Good second-half display. With lots of new players they took time to adjust and deservedly beat a really tough side. With Strelec, Morris and Conway to return from injury I think we will have a great season.

Lincoln fans:

Ray - Very impressive. We won't be the pushovers the experts claim.

David - Well done in the first half for our determined Imps. I know the die hard fans are going to be up in arms at my statement but this year we are desperately in need of linking passes together otherwise we are going be cream crackered by Christmas. This is a real step up!

Ian - Great spirit and commitment. No criticism of effort. Better luck next outing lads.

Paul - Onward you imps. We will surprise a lot of teams this season.

Norffy - Great effort - nearly caused an upset

Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg spoke to BBC Radio Tees after their Championship season-opening win against Lincoln City.

For a written selection of his quotes, click here.

Image source, Opta

For the first time in 65 years Lincoln will play in the second tier of English football on Saturday (15:00 BST) as they begin their campaign at beaten play-off finalists Middlesbrough.

The Imps won at Derby in the EFL Cup first round last weekend and lost just once in the past 15 seasons on the opening day.

Boro overcame Wrexham in the EFL Cup and have lost only one of their past five curtain-raisers.

• This is the first meeting between Middlesbrough and Lincoln City in any competition since April 1961, with the Imps winning a second tier match 5-2 at Sincil Bank.

• Lincoln City have won just one of their 10 previous Football League visits to Middlesbrough (D3 L6); a 2-1 victory in March 1959 in the second tier under Bill Anderson.

• Following a run of 10 wins in 14 games between November and February (D1 L3), Middlesbrough won just four of their final 15 league matches to end last season (D7 L4).

• Lincoln City finished their EFL League One title-winning campaign with a 29-game unbeaten run (W23 D6); only six sides previously have gone 30+ games outside of the top-flight, the last being Burnley in 2024-25 (33).

• Middlesbrough recorded more pressed sequences than any other side in the EFL Championship last season (592), while only Ipswich Town (11) and Hull City (9) scored more goals following high turnovers than their eight.

Middlesbrough have joined Rangers in the hunt for Leicester winger Stephy Mavididi, 28, who is valued at around £7m. (Football League World, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip column here.

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West Ham, Wolves, Middlesbrough and Burnley are all battling for the signing of Welsh ex-Leicester City midfielder Jordan James, 22, from French side Rennes. (Alan Nixon - subscription required), external

For more EFL transfer news and rumours, read Monday's full gossip column here.

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Image source, Shutterstock

Middlesbrough forward Kaly Sene has joined Swiss side Young Boys for an undisclosed fee on a four-year deal.

The 25-year-old Senegalese joined Boro from Lausanne last August and scored twice in 28 Championship appearances.

Young Boys finished sixth in the Swiss Super League last season.

Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg hailed Will Lankshear as "the best finisher I've ever seen" after a debut goal for his new club.

Lankshear scored a fine volley in the 61st minute that was enough to see off Wrexham in the EFL Cup first round tie.

The 21-year-old joined from Tottenham Hotspur in a deal initially thought to be worth £10 million, as Boro look for more potency in attack to go with their fine approach work.

And Swede Hellberg's early impressions of the England Under-21 forward are very favourable.

"I've seen the trainings and he's the best finisher I've ever seen in terms of left foot, right foot, how hard he shoots, his headers," Hellberg told BBC Radio Tees.

"I'm not surprised he can do these goals."

Lankshear's strike settled a tight match between two sides, who were only separated by two places in the Championship last season.

As Boro regroup with some new faces following promotion heartache in May, Lankshear's arrival has caught the eye.

"The best thing with him is how he is as a person," said Hellberg. "How hard he works, how much he wants to learn, how quick he is to adapt. That's been absolutely brilliant.

"Add on to that, the quality he has, he's an unbelievable player and he's just going to get better."