How Middlesbrough privately feel about signing Pavel Sulc as ‘worry’ expressed over transfer

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Middlesbrough fans are still waiting for their club to make a senior signing this summer, and EFL Analysis has gained an insight into their stance on Pavel Sulc.

It’s now been nearly a month since the 2025 summer transfer window opened for a second time, and there have been no incomings at the Riverside Stadium.

Middlesbrough confirmed a transfer at the beginning of July with Owen Foster joining the U21 set-up.

Archie Baptiste, formerly of Tottenham Hotspur, has also joined the club’s youth ranks, but right now, no first-team players have signed.

Despite the lack of arrivals, Middlesbrough are still being linked with plenty of names, including Victoria Plzen midfielder Pavel Sulc.

How Middlesbrough feel about signing Pavel Sulc

EFL Analysis has spoken exclusively to our transfer correspondent, Graeme Bailey, for an update on Sulc.

But it’s not particularly good news for Boro fans when it comes to Sulc or another name of interest to the Teessiders, David Strelec, with the North East outfit ‘not particularly confident’ about a deal for the former.

Bailey told us: “There’s Pavel Sulc who is a hugely talented player. Boro do like him and have watched him closely, but the issue with him is potentially he’s just too good and he’s probably going to go to a top-flight side somewhere. That’s the worry.

“Boro would like him and he’s a top player. He’s a good age, but there’s a lot of top-flight clubs from around Europe who like him and in England as well. A couple of Premier League clubs, I’m told.

“The problem is Middlesbrough didn’t get promoted. It’s the same problem when it comes to David Strelec, the Slovakian striker Boro like. It looks unlikely they will get him, with Celtic also interested.

“It’s really tough and Middlesbrough are not particularly confident when it comes to Pavel Sulc. It will be hard to persuade those kinds of players to come to the Championship – not impossible, but difficult.”

Pavel Sulc stats

Sulc joined Victoria Plzen as a youngster back in 2011.

He’s since featured 163 times for the club across all competitions, scoring 46 goals and providing 28 assists.

A natural midfielder, Sulc has largely operated as a number 10 throughout his career but can play in a deeper central role as well as on both flanks.

The 24-year-old scored 20 and assisted 15 in 54 matches across all competitions last term, including earning seven goal contributions in the Europa League.