"Very talented" - Hull City excitement over Middlesbrough favourite as Ruben Selles question raised | OneFootball

FLW's Middlesbrough fan pundit has had his say on Hull City's imminent signing of Matt Crooks.

This article is part of Football League World’s 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Matt Crooks left Middlesbrough in February to sign with MLS side Real Salt Lake, putting an end to an almost three-year spell with Boro, but a return to the Championship with Hull City is on the cards.

The towering attacking player signed a three-year deal with the Utah state side, as Middlesbrough received what was reported as being a "significant fee" for the 30-year-old. Crooks made 115 appearances for Middlesbrough but called time on a career for the Teessiders.

He played with many different players, managers, and in a variety of different roles during his two-and-a-half-year stint, scoring 23 times and providing 15 assists during his time in the North East, which saw him develop into a cult figure among Boro supporters.

Now, the Tigers, a side who currently find themselves in the final relegation place, despite an extremely credible 3-3 draw with Leeds United on Saturday afternoon, are not in the position many expected them to be in at this stage of the season, with Ruben Selles' first aim being to steady the ship after his December arrival from Reading.

In order to do so, plenty of names in an array of positions have already been linked with a switch to the MKM, which could provide a nice blend of youthfulness and experience in order to progress Hull up the Championship standings. Crooks is one such name, per reports from James Hoggarth of BBC Radio Humberside and Barry Cooper of Hull Live.

The Middlesbrough verdict as Matt Crooks closes in on Hull City switch

The pair of aforementioned local reporters have outlined that the 30-year-old midfielder is set to join the club on a permanent basis from the MLS side, despite less than a year away from English football after leaving the Riverside. He will sign a two-and-a-half-year contract in East Yorkshire, after initial reports on Monday referenced that the Leeds-born man was undergoing a medical with Hull.

We asked FLW's Middlesbrough fan pundit Jasper Hudson for his thoughts on the switch to Hull and whether he is surprised that it has come so soon after leaving to MLS.

He said: "I think the Matt Crooks transfer is a very interesting one.

"It caught me a bit off guard. I did think him leaving Middlesbrough was, sort of, the end of his time in England.

"Or at the very least in the Championship, but as a player, he's definitely got the ability to help Hull.

"The things I remember best with him at Boro was his link-up play and technical ability, which goes hand-in-hand with his obvious physicality and height.

"I think he can help Hull, although I'm not particularly sure where he would best fit in the 4-3-3 that they played against us.

"But he is a very talented player and it should be interesting to see if he's still at that level, or if, with playing in the MLS, he has lost his sharpness.

"It remains to be seen whether they can accommodate him in their system and whether that will be a system that he can work in."

Matt Crooks' potential impact at Hull City

Crooks became a bit of a fan favourite during his time at the Riverside since joining in 2019 from Rotherham, and his 'Tree' nickname has become iconic. That highlights that he is much more of a physical and aerial presence in the middle of the park in comparison to the likes of Steven Alzate and Gustavo Puerta.

They are under six feet tall, and he will also compliment the others in the middle of the park with his ability to crash the box. Regan Slater has been the most advanced midfielder in running beyond and into the penalty area, coming close to snatching a second for Hull in the game against Leeds.

That particular part of Crooks' skill-set is perhaps the best, with the rangy midfielder supporting the centre-forward as either a No.8 or No.10, much like Slater has done in recent games. It was a feature of Harvey Knibbs' game for Selles at Reading and Crooks should fulfill such a role for cutbacks and crosses into the box.

Crooks looks set to become the Spaniard's first signing in charge of the Tigers imminently, which may be a strange one for Middlesbrough fans to watch in the coming seasons. His ability and his experience could be vital in surviving the drop.