Middlesbrough Opinion: Should Boro sign Bakary Sako?
While Middlesbrough does sit fifth in the Championship table, a large portion of those results have been down to manager Tony Pulis’ tactics. The former Stoke City manager has shown his ability to do a lot with little and more so, his defensive style is very effective in the second tier.
However, given the struggling core of Boro’s team, Tony Pulis will have to make a few changes. The summer can’t come too soon, as there is a chance for Middlesbrough to make changes to their team. They’ll have to reinforce their midfield, add a few reliable strikers and even a new left-back.
But what the club really need are a few new wingers given their lack of directness and mobility. Marcus Tavernier is only 19 years old, Rajiv van La Parra is on loan and Stewart Downing is 34 years old and not getting any younger.
Out of the three stars, only Tavernier has a bright future. Rajiv van La Parra has struggled to show any reason why Boro should convince Huddersfield to make the move permanent. This shows the issues at the club and this is why they should target Bakary Sako.
The 29-year-old Crystal Palace star rejoined the club in the winter window (Daily Mail) but only on a six-month deal. This means that his contract expires at the end of the current season, and Pulis has to make a move for him.
It allows them to add pace, mobility and creativity in the final third while saving most of their budget for other areas. The 29-year-old has had his issues with injuries over the last few years, but his ability was on full view in the Championship with Wolves.
He finished his final season with Wolves by contributing with 25 goals in 41 appearances, and with 27 goals the season before. However, since then, his move to Crystal Palace hasn’t worked out and a subsequent move to West Bromwich Albion proved to worsen things.
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Conclusion
But despite all that, Bakary Sako is still a great player and has
Sako won’t be a long-term option and eventually, the club will have to make a move to replace him. Nevertheless, he has a proven record and he can be a brilliant short-term option for Middlesbrough, be it in the Championship or in the Premier League.