Middlesbrough have done some excellent business this summer but their transfer record has not always been great.
Michael Carrick is aiming to take Boro back to the Premier League in the 2024/25 Championship season.
In a bid to do so, Middlesbrough have had an active 2024 summer transfer window with six new faces through the door.
Aidan Morris has been praised heavily following his transfer from Columbus Crew earlier this window.
Fellow summer addition Delano Burgzorg impressed for Middlesbrough vs Leeds United in the League Cup as well.
However, despite some smart signings this summer, Boro have not always been great at bringing in quality players.
With this in mind, Boro News have taken a look at five of the biggest transfer flops in Middlesbrough’s history.
Afonso Alves
Getting the most obvious pick out of the way first, Afonso Alves is arguably the biggest transfer flop in Middlesbrough’s history.
The Brazilian was signed from SC Heerenveen in January 2008 for what was, at the time, a club-record fee.
After scoring 45 goals in 39 outings for the Dutch club, expectations were high for Alves at the Riverside Stadium.
However, after scoring six goals in his first 11 games, the striker went on to net just seven more times in 38 matches before being sold.
There are definitely strikers with worse goal records at Middlesbrough, but the fee involved and expectations he brought with him put Alves very high on the list. He retired in 2015 after a spell in Qatar.
Martin Braithwaite
After being relegated from the Premier League in 2017, Middlesbrough spent around £50m on new players that summer.
Martin Braithwaite was among the names brought in after his successful spell with Bordeaux.
The Dane scored three in his first six Championship matches for the club but quickly fell out of favour when Tony Pulis took over as manager.
The now 33-year-old went out on loan several times before eventually being sold in 2019.
Unlike Alves, Braithwaite’s career picked up after leaving the North East, including securing a transfer to FC Barcelona. He most recently moved to Brazilian side Gremio this summer.
Marcus Browne
Marcus Browne joined Middlesbrough in July 2019 on the back of an impressive loan stint with Oxford United.
The West Ham academy product looked set for a bright future in the game and Boro appeared to have secured themselves a real gem.
However, Browne only played 22 times for the Teessiders before re-joining Oxford on a permanent basis.
The 26-year-old helped them secure promotion to the Championship in 2023/24 but was released as a free agent earlier this summer.
Michael Ricketts
Michael Ricketts joined Middlesbrough from Bolton Wanderers in January 2003 after catching the eye of manager Steve McClaren while on England duty.
Boro paid around £4.5m for the centre-forward, which was big money at the time.
However, he went on to find the net on just four occasions in 39 matches before leaving Teesside at the end of 2023/24.
Ricketts played for a number of sides after departing including Leeds United and Stoke City before eventually retiring in 2010 after half a season with Tranmere Rovers.
Rudy Gestede
Aitor Karanka’s Boro were struggling in the first half of the 2016/17 Premier League campaign, with it clear new forward additions were needed.
Middlesbrough turned to Rudy Gestede to fill that void, paying Aston Villa around £5.5m for his services.
However, the now 35-year-old went on to score a dismal one goal in 16 Premier League games that term.
His overall Boro record is not much better, netting eight in a staggering 71 matches in all competitions.
Gestede retired in 2022 following a stint in Iran with Esteghlal FC.