It was perhaps no surprise to see Matthew Hoppe leave Middlesbrough on loan for Hibernian in the final stages of the January transfer window.

Having joined the Championship side on a permanent deal from Spanish outfit Mallorca back in the summer transfer window, Hoppe had managed just six appearances for 'Boro during the first half of this season.

With Middlesbrough also boosting their attacking further in the January window with the loan signing of Aston Villa's Cameron Archer, the challenge of securing game time only looked to have got harder for Hoppe.

As a result, a temporary move elsewhere that allows him to enjoy more regular first-team football, and further enhance his development, did seem to make sense.

Indeed, in the wake of that move to Hibs, the striker has now admitted that he found it "difficult" to force his way into the side, during his first few months at The Riverside Stadium.

But despite all that, there is a chance that Hoppe will not have to look far when he returns to 'Boro in the summer, for the inspiration he needs to work his way into the club's starting XI.

Last summer, it was Chuba Akpom who found himself returning to Middlesbrough after a loan spell elsewhere, in his case PAOK in Greece, during the 2021/22 campaign.

That had come off the back of a disappointing debut season with 'Boro in 2020/21, where the attacker had scored just five goals in 38 Championship appearances for the club.

As a result, with Middlesbrough on the hunt for new attackers last summer, it was reported after his loan spell in Greece, that Akpom was considered surplus to requirements at 'Boro, and could have been sold, ironically amid that interest in Hoppe.

Ultimately though, while Hoppe arrived, and has now left again, Akpom is still yet to go anywhere, having enjoyed a simply remarkable campaign with 'Boro that sees him sit four goals clear in the Championship Golden Boot race, having found the net 16 times in 23 Championship games.

That therefore, is clear evidence to Hoppe that if he approaches things in the right way, he may not have to wait long after his loan spell, to show what he can really do at The Riverside Stadium.

Meanwhile, Archer and Fulham's Rodrigo Muniz both set to return to their parent clubs in the summer after their loan spells come to an end.

Elsewhere, Akpom will also be entering the final year of his contract at The Riverside, after 'Boro triggered the 12-month option in his deal recently, and he will surely be attracting plenty of attention from elsewhere.

Consequentially, there could also be voids in Middlesbrough's attacking options for Hoppe to fill next season, which may give him the chance to make a place in that side his own, if he can make the same sort of impact as Akpom has this time around.

It seems therefore, that while things may have been tough going for Hoppe so far at Middlesbrough, there is evidence not too far away, that such a situation could change for him, rather quickly indeed.