Why should Middlesbrough tie Muhamed Besic on a permanent deal
Middlesbrough have made a good start to their Championship season under Tony Pulis. They lie fourth in the table with 28 points, just two behind the leaders Leeds United. Under the former Stoke City and West Brom manager, Boro were bound to be water-tight defensively, and that has turned out to be the case as they have conceded only eight goals in 16 games thus far.
The Teesside club brought Muhamed Besic on a season-long loan deal from Everton in the summer transfer window. The German-born Bosnian midfielder has played a key role in the team’s progress this season.
For that reason, Middlesbrough should take interest in making the stay permanent for the 26-year-old. Below we analyse his performances and the impact he has had on the team, justifying why Pulis and his men should be contemplating this possibility.
Performance analysis – Muhamed Besic, key player for Boro
Without a shadow of a doubt, Besic has been one of the consistent performers for Pulis’ men in this campaign. Predominantly a defensive midfielder, the manager has used him in a slightly different role as a number eight. In this position, he can move forward with the ball and make late runs into the opposition box to cause trouble to the defenders.
Dipping into some stats, the 26-year-old possesses a pass success rate of 87.6%, a terrific number for a midfielder playing in the Championship. He has scored two goals and supplied two assists in 12 appearances (four from the bench). The Bosnian international’s key pass rate of 1.3 rationalizes the decision by the gaffer to play him in a slightly advanced role.
He is quite a natural when it comes to making diligent defensive contributions. Breaking up opposition attacks with well-timed tackles, doing so at a rate of 1.8, makes Besic an effective midfield player.
Hence, all in all, the loanee from Everton is doing a more than impressive job at the Riverside stadium.
Middlesbrough are fourth in the table very close to the summit and aiming for a Premier League promotion. If they do get promoted to top-flight football at the end of this season, they would require players of Besic’s abilities to stay with them.
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For that reason, the club should lure the Bosnian to play for them beyond next summer. He has shown the qualities that are making a difference in the Boro midfield.
Stats Courtesy – Whoscored.com (18/19 season)