Ben Doak is expected to have a key role at Middlesbrough this season.
Boro had a hectic end to the 2024 summer transfer window, with two new faces arriving through the door.
After Ipswich Town failed to sign Emmanuel Latte Lath on Deadline Day, the Teessiders turned their attention toward strengthening their first-team squad.
George Edmundson was a late arrival, being announced as a Boro player right after the 11pm cutoff.
Prior to that, after fending off competition from Championship rivals Hull City, Middlesbrough signed Ben Doak from Liverpool.
The Teessiders’ primary focus going into August 30th was to strengthen at centre-back due to the ongoing injury crisis Michael Carrick is facing.
Middlesbrough had already made several additions to their forward line, so the capture of Doak was, while a welcome one, quite surprising.
Liverpool pundit gives exciting Ben Doak verdict
Doak joins Middlesbrough with very little senior experience under his belt so far.
The 18-year-old has made just 10 first-team appearances for Liverpool and two during a loan spell with Celtic.
However, Craig Hignett, who speaks about Liverpool for BBC Merseyside, gave an exciting Doak verdict on The Red Radio, as per Teesside Live.
He said: “Ben Doak is a young lad from Liverpool who I know quite well. He’s only a young lad, but he’s exciting. He’s quick, he’s aggressive with the ball, he takes players on, he’s not afraid and he works really hard. I’ve been impressed with him every time I’ve seen him play for Liverpool.
“I watched him in the under-18s not long after he come down from Celtic. They paid a lot of money for him as a young lad and he impressed. But then, when he’s come on for the first-team – and I’ve probably watched all ten of his first-team games – and he’s never looked out of place.
“He’s played wide right every time that I’ve seen him. He can operate anyway at that end of the pitch, but I would say wide right is his main position. He’s really quick, and he’s only small but dynamic. He’s got a goal in him, but it’s when he takes players on and creates stuff… he can cause havoc.”
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Ben Doak verdict is bad news for Isaiah Jones at Middlesbrough
Hignett spoke glowingly of Doak and while Boro fans may not have seen too much of the teenager, they are now no doubt expecting big things when he makes his club debut.
However, Hignett’s comments are bad news for Isaiah Jones, who has been the Teessiders’ primary right-winger this season.
Despite coming away with a 2-0 win, Jones struggled as Middlesbrough beat Cardiff City on Saturday.
This is the third Championship match in a row the winger has now underperformed in, including cost Boro three points when he gifted Derby County a goal at Pride Park.
Now, with Hignett stating Doak is best suited to the right flank, Jones may have a hard time keeping his place in the eleven once club football resumes later this month.