Middlesbrough

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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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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."

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Middlesbrough have agreed to sign English centre-back Ashley Phillips from Tottenham for an initial fee of £7m, while a number of potential future add-ons have been included in a deal for the 21-year-old, who spent last the past two seasons on loan at Stoke City. (The Northern Echo), external

Want more EFL transfer news and rumours? Read Thursday's full gossip column here.

Don't forget to tap the 'follow' button at the top of this page to stay up to date with your club's latest news.

Middlesbrough winger Jeremy Sarmiento said he is delighted to finally feel at home after making his move to the Riverside Stadium a permanent one.

The 24-year-old had been on five different loan spells since 2023 from his previous club Brighton & Hove Albion, including spending the second half of last season with Boro.

But after completing his switch in June, the Ecuadorian will hope to play an entire season at his parent club for the first time since 2022-23 when he did so with the Seagulls.

"I'm very happy. I'm delighted, my family also, to feel at home somewhere," Sarmiento told BBC Radio Tees.

"I've been on quite a few loan spells, so it feels good to finally settle in somewhere where you feel loved.

"It's great and the fans have been loving to me as well, which I appreciate a lot."

Boro narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League in the 2025-26 campaign after losing 1-0 to Hull City in the Championship play-off final but Sarmiento said they are ready to challenge again.

"We all wanted it, I think the fans wanted it as well. We worked so hard to push for that promotion," he said.

"Only god knows why we didn't. But we have that belief, we're working so hard to get there again and this time hopefully do it."

Sarmiento has won promotion from the second tier twice before, with Ipswich Town in 2023-24 and Burnley in 2024-25, and hopes that experience will help Boro succeed in the forthcoming season.

"Really it could have been third [last season], but hey, it is what it is. At the end of the day, it's the mentality," he added.

"I can help some players out, the young guys who are also coming in. But I'm sure there's a lot of players with a lot of confidence that can contribute."

Preston North End have agreed a £2m deal for Dutch Middlesbrough forward Delano Burgzorg, 27.

Striker Kaly Sene is also poised to depart Boro for Swiss side Young Boys in a deal worth £1m for the Senegalese 25-year-old. (Northern Echo, external)

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

Manchester United goalkeeper Radek Vitek is close to completing a permanent move to Middlesbrough.

Vitek scooped all the Bristol City Player of the Year awards last season but returned to United for the start of pre-season.

However, the 22-year-old made it clear when he spoke to reporters in Norway last month he expected to spend the season away from Old Trafford.

"I'm ready to go somewhere again and hopefully be number one," he said.

Middlesbrough are one of a number of clubs keen to sign the Czech.

It is understood if the deal does go through, Manchester United would look to have a hefty sell-on clause and a buy-back option included.

Middlesbrough's new striker Will Lankshear said he has learned more in a week under head coach Kim Hellberg than he has in his entire football career previously.

The 21-year-old signed from Tottenham two weeks ago after spending last season on loan at Oxford United, where he scored 11 goals and provided four assists in 44 Championship games.

Lankshear played his first game for what he described as an "amazing, brilliant and massive" club in a 3-3 pre-season friendly draw with Espanyol on Saturday.

Hellberg praised Lankshear after the match and said: "Will as a nine is absolutely brilliant, he's mobile, he can do almost anything."

And Lankshear has now returned the compliment to Hellberg.

"It's been a great week so far. I've learnt as much as I have my whole life in one week under Kim [Hellberg]," Lankshear told BBC Radio Tees.

"It's really, really good. I'm really excited. We play some really nice football and that's all on the manager."

Boro have also brought in Kyle Joseph from Hull City to strengthen their attack and Lankshear said he is embracing the challenge of competing for the number nine shirt.

"Competition is everything. You need a big squad if you want to achieve the things that we want to achieve," he added.

"Kyle Joseph is a great forward. He can play across the front line. We can play together as well. So I'm really excited to work with him.

"And if it is one of us, then I'll be supporting. If not, I want to be giving my absolute all and scoring goals myself. I'm sure it'll work together.

"I'm going to come and give it my absolute all in every single game and I'm going to try and score like I always do and see where it takes me. I'm confident enough in my ability that I will score goals."

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Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg was full of praise for new signings Will Lankshear and Kyle Joseph after the side's pre-season 3-3 draw with Espanyol.

The two forwards were brought in this summer in an effort to improve Boro's finishing after they were wasteful in front of goal last season.

"Will as a nine is absolutely brilliant, he's mobile, he can do almost anything," Hellberg told BBC Radio Tees. "Then I think Kyle has that pace.

"I think everyone saw last season that we struggled scoring goals. There was no team that created more clear chances than us, we all know that and we need to add on our quality.

"I'm looking forward to keep working with both Kyle and Will. They are showing brilliant qualities and they both are great human beings that want to improve."

Listen to the full interview below or on BBC Sounds here

Explore more Middlesbrough content on BBC Sounds

Middlesbrough are hoping to secure the signing of winger Max Arfsten before Friday's Carabao Cup tie with Wrexham. The 25-year-old is expected to arrive on Teesside this week to complete his move from MLS club Columbus Crew. (Teesside Live), external

There is more of Monday's EFL gossip here.