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…

Despite much excitement over the potential of their summer transfer window, Middlesbrough are yet to get really going when it comes to their business.

The 2022-23 Championship season kicks off in less than three weeks, yet there are still some major holes to be filled by Chris Wilder - especially in attack.

Some smart signings such as Darragh Lenihan and Ryan Giles have been made, but it appears that the non-sale of Djed Spence so far is holding things up when it comes to spending money.

What is known though is that Boro do need strikers, having lost all three of last seasons loanees back to their parent clubs, with just Duncan Watmore and Josh Coburn left standing.

One player who has been linked in recent weeks is Everton youngster Ellis Simms, and FLW's Boro fan pundit Dana Malt believes the 21-year-old would be the club's ideal signing this summer.

"I watched him play for Blackpool against Oxford in the League One play-offs two seasons ago now and he was really impressive, he scored that evening and he was a problem for Oxford, getting in behind, making runs off the shoulder of defenders and being a physical presence as well," Dana said.

"One of Boro's problems towards the back end of last season was that we didn't have a striker to make the ball stick.

"When Isaiah Jones was getting sussed out and when Matt Crooks' form dipped a little bit, we needed a striker to really step up and nobody did that, because none of them had the physical presence to be able to drop deep to receive just sustain pressure for a little bit. 

"It would be brilliant to see a striker who has the physicality and the technicality as well, a very nice blend of the two, and I think Ellis Simms has that.

"He for me is a player that his next loan spell will show how good of a player he is, and I do think he is one good loan spell away from being amongst the top goalscorers in the Championship.

"He showed it at youth level at Everton, and I think he's starting to show he's got a little bit about him at senior level.

"I know Hearts fans absolutely love him and they want him back, and that's two successful loans he's had now from Blackpool to Hearts, his third one I think he will explode, and that's why I really want Boro to sign him as I want to see him absolutely explode at Middlesbrough."

The Verdict

Simms is contracted to Everton until 2024, and whilst a loan move is probably the one here, a permanent deal isn't necessarily out of the question.

It's clear that the 21-year-old has a lot of potential and in his stints at Blackpool and Hearts, he's found the back of the net on a relatively consistent basis.

And if there is one thing Boro need right now, it is strikers, having been left with minimal options following the end of last season.

Whilst he's never played in the Championship before, the second tier is naturally the next step in Simms' development, and he could be ideally suited to Wilder's system on Teesside.