Middlesbrough news simply has to trigger Ryan Giles action: View | OneFootball

Boro had previously been heavily linked over a deal for the Hull City left-back, and Alex Bangura's injury must now see them make their move.

Middlesbrough had reportedly shown significant interest in signing Hull City left-back Ryan Giles this summer, but after the trail went cold, Alex Bangura's injury revelation must see them resume their chase once again.

Giles has been linked with a Middlesbrough reunion throughout the summer transfer window, with Boro said to have been hopeful of striking a permanent deal for their former loan star.

However, after Hull City's vice chief executive told BBC Humberside that he doesn't expect the former Luton Town defender to leave, nor want to leave the Tigers this summer, talks of a potential transfer between the two clubs have fallen away.

But, after it was confirmed that Bangura's mystery absence was due to him needing an operation on his Achilles, Boro's left-back will not feature for the club for a lengthy period of time.

Therefore, head coach Michael Carrick and head of football Kieran Scott may well be forced into action in order to shore up their options in that department, and they should now lay their cards on the table to Hull for Giles.

Boro should go all in for Giles

Usually, the level of impact a new signing could have on their new team is the topic of great debate between supporters, but in the case of Giles and Middlesbrough, it's less of a debate and more of a unified recollection.

That's because, under the tutelage of Carrick during the 2022/23 season, the 24-year-old blossomed into one of the Championship's most deadly wide players.

Giles' 11 assists in 45 Championship appearances (excluding two-legged play-off games) saw him crowned as having the most assists in the second tier that year, as Boro went so close, but yet so far to winning promotion.

Regardless, his highly impressive individual campaign was enough to ensure that one of those sides who did win promotion to the Premier League that season, Luton Town, would grant Giles his opportunity amongst English football's elite.

Unfortunately for him, the form of Alfie Doughty meant that he was not for budging out of the starting left wing-back role, relegating Giles to a backup role for the first half of last season, before heading out to Hull City in January.

That loan move to the Tigers included the obligation for the club to purchase Giles from the Hatters for £4m this summer - a clause signed off by a manager in Liam Rosenior, who no longer occupies the MKM Stadium dug out.

Now with Tim Walter's side having strength in depth at the wing-back positions after the emergence of Matty Jacob last term, Lewie Coyle, Cyrus Christie and new arrival Cody Drameh, Hull could potentially afford to let Giles go.

As such, if Middlesbrough tabled a strong offer to the Tigers for Giles, they could find that doing a deal would be a hard thing to turn down.

Carrick can't afford to rely on Engel until Bangura returns

Bangura's injury has left Carrick with just Lukas Engel as his solitary, proven senior option at the left-back spot, with promising youngster George McCormick now occupying the backup role.

Therefore, Boro are currently just an Engel injury away from likely having to rely on a 19-year-old academy graduate who is yet to make his competitive debut for the club, and as highly-rated as McCormick is, that would be a monumental ask.

It's always important to have quality backups in each area of the pitch, as Boro have at times witnessed to their detriment in recent years the consequences of not having that luxury.

The last thing Carrick, nor anyone connected with Middlesbrough would want to see is a highly promising season get derailed due to not having a deep enough squad, something that the club appear to have learned from when you consider their summer business so far.

Luke Ayling was swiftly snapped up after his impressive loan spell last term, whilst central midfielder Aidan Morris appears to be the heir apparent to Jonny Howson, and Delano Burgzorg provides Carrick with two quality left-wingers in him and McGree after Sammy Silvera's loan exit.

Therefore, after such a promising summer transfer window so far, and a pre-season campaign that saw the club go unbeaten in all five of their friendlies on English soil, - winning four - Carrick and his staff must be confident that they can see early signs of a strong season ahead.

So, without wanting to leave anything to chance, signing another quality left-back should now be seen as a necessity for Middlesbrough, as opposed to a transfer shopping treat.