Middlesbrough are expected to be very busy in the summer transfer market as Chris Wilder looks to build a squad that is capable of winning promotion after they just missed out on the top six last season.

However, Boro may need to wheel and deal to get deals done, with Djed Spence's likely departure expected to bring in a significant fee that will be very welcome at the Riverside Stadium.

Of course, having a big budget doesn't guarantee success at this level, as Boro have found out over the years, so it's crucial that Wilder and the recruitment team don't waste what they have available.

Time will tell whether they are successful this summer but it's fair to say the Teesside outfit have a mixed record in the market in recent years.

Here we look at EIGHT signings that Boro have made where the player underwhelmed during their time with the club...

There was understandably a lot of excitement when the Danish international joined from French top-flight outfit Toulouse when Garry Monk was in charge.

But, Braithwaite didn't become the key figure that many expected, managing just five goals in 19 appearances before he returned to France on loan. He returned for the 18/19 season but scored just three times in 17 games before another loan was sorted in January.

It's a shame for all concerned that Braithwaite couldn't shine at Boro because he is clearly talented, which is why he's currently at Barcelona, although a summer move could be on the cards.

Signed for a decent fee, thought to be around £4m, in the summer of 2017, Guedioura seemed the all-action midfielder that the team needed.

However, he would make just six appearances for the club, five of them in the Premier League, before joining Nottingham Forest, initially on loan before it became permanent.

Since then, Guedioura has played in Qatar before returning to England with brief spells at Sheffield United and most recently Burton Albion, although he is now a free agent ahead of the new season.

The striker was a big money addition, of over £10m, and he was tasked with helping the club to promotion from the Championship - which he did.

Yet, after his six goals in 18 games, Rhodes would not score a league goal again for Boro as he was barely used in the Premier League. So, it may seem harsh to include him on this list but for the money provided it was hoped Rhodes would have been a long-term answer for the team but he wasn't.

He's now at Huddersfield Town, where he helped them to the play-off final but they lost to Nottingham Forest at Wembley, so he will be in the Championship again next season.

Another striker on the list, Gestede arrived when Boro were in the top-flight but he managed just one goal in 16 as they were relegated.

But, even the drop down to the Championship, the target man wasn't prolific, managing just five goals in 42 appearances over the next few years. Gestede was released in 2020 and has gone on to play in Australia, Greece and Iran but is without a club again.

He was certainly not a good investment for Boro and has struggled to get anywhere near the form he had shown earlier in his career.

Fletcher is similar to Gestede in that he cost a fairly significant fee, around £6m, but didn't hit the heights expected of him before leaving on a free transfer.

In fairness, the 19/20 campaign was a good one for the ex-Manchester United youngster but other than that he was not the prolific scorer the club thought they were getting.

He joined Watford following leaving Boro and is now in the MLS with New York Red Bulls.

The big centre-back was seen as the proven, dominant leader that Boro needed at the back to help them to the Premier League but it wasn't to be as they failed to make the top six.

Whilst Flint wasn't a disastrous signing, he didn't become the key figure many expected, and he was sold, at a loss of a few million, to Cardiff after just one year in the north-east.

The defender is still in the Championship now, having just signed for Stoke City ahead of the next season.

Boro moved to bring in the giant keeper from St Gallen in Switzerland a few years ago and it had been hoped that he would become the new number one.

However, that has not happened, with Stojanović having had two loan spells in Germany before sealing a permanent move away to SSV Jahn Regensburg last month.

Whilst he was only bought for around £1m, so he isn't a massive transfer mistake, it was underwhelming as the stopper didn't go on to play as many had expected.

There was a lot of excitement around Boro when they brought in the Argentine midfielder last season for around £6m.

It had been hoped Payero would be a difference maker for Neil Warnock's side as they pushed for promotion but he had a tough first season in England, with Payero making just 13 appearances, although injuries didn't help.

Unlike the others on this list, he can turn things around as he is still at Boro but a return to Argentina has been rumoured this summer.