Agent claims Middlesbrough have signed a £20m player who is ‘one of the best in Europe’

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If it wasn’t obvious enough already, Rob Edwards’ Championship pace-setters Middlesbrough pulled off quite the coup during the summer transfer window.

That doesn’t really narrow it down, of course.

As Kaly Sene likens himself to Karim Benzema, the Middlesbrough newbie opened his account with a finish the Real Madrid legend would have been proud of during last week’s 2-1 victory over West Brom. Going from strength to strength himself, Boro have another Hayden Hackney in Sverre Nypan, according to EFL expert Ali Maxwell.

Sporting director Kieran Scott has hailed Alfie Jones’ impact, too. A £3 million signing more than making up for the loss of £11 million Rav van den Berg. Callum Brittain has nailed down a starting spot in double-quick time as well, while Sontje Hansen kept that unbeaten run going with his dramatic late equaliser at Preston North End.

And in David Strelec, agent Michal Cierny argues that the Riverside Stadium is now home to ‘one of the best strikers in Europe’.

Middlesbrough signed ‘one of the best strikers in Europe’ in David Strelec

Lofty praise indeed, though the club’s new number 13 is used to such comments.

David Strelec was labelled ‘world-class’ after he scored a stunning solo goal in Slovakia’s 2-0 win over Germany this month, giving Real Madrid powerhouse Antonio Rudiger the runaround in the process.

Strelec opened his Championship account against West Brom last time out, albeit in less spectacular fashion.

Now, Strelec’s father confirmed interest from Celtic as well as Middlesbrough before he joined the North East outfit for an initial £6.5 million from Slovan Bratislava in his homeland.

But, in quotes reported by Sport 24, Cierny cannot understand how other, more high-profile clubs did not take a punt on a striker who now has 35 goals for club and country since the start of last season.

“Most international scouts think they are the best and see themselves as football gurus,” a baffled Cierny begins. “However, many of them are completely blind. They would not notice Messi even if he ran right in front of them!

“If they would notice him, it would only be if he was wearing the famous Argentine jersey in which he won the World Cup. Only about 20 per cent of scouts see something, but only half of them are willing to really fight for the player. The rest will just write a report. That was the case with David Strelec.

“He is one of the best strikers in Europe.

“Compared to other strikers aged 18-25 on the Wyscout website, he is right behind Julian Alvarez and Alexander Isak. If you compare him with all strikers, he is 16th, right behind Harry Kane, [Robert] Lewandowski, [Viktor] Gyokeres or some guy named Cristiano Ronaldo…”

Agent Michal Cierny thinks Strelec should cost nearer £20 million

Cierny feels that the relative lack of interest, and a very affordable transfer fee, owes much to the fact that the Slovakian market tends to go somewhat under the radar.

He believes that Strelec would have cost closer to £20 million if he was playing for, to give one example, Czech giants Slavia Prague.

“In 10 years [from now], scouts will tell you that they really liked Strelec as a player. Just like it was with [former Inter Milan and PSG defender] Milan Skriniar and dozens of others,” Chierny adds. “It took us years to get Milan from Zilina, even though he was watched by probably every scout on the planet.

“They criticised him. And now? They praise him to the heavens. Just like with [Napoli’s Slanislav] Lobotka or [Atletico Madrid defender David] Hancko. I am convinced that this is also the case with Strelec.

“I will wait until they finally appreciate him.”