2016–17 Middlesbrough F.C. season explained

Club:	Middlesbrough
Season:	2016–17
Manager:	(caretaker)
Stadium:	Riverside Stadium
League:	Premier League
League Result:	19th (relegated)
Cup1 Result:	Quarter-finals
Cup2 Result:	Second round
League Topscorer:	Álvaro Negredo (9)
Season Topscorer:	Álvaro Negredo (10)
Highest Attendance:	32,704 Middlesbrough 0–1 Chelsea Middlesbrough 0–3 Liverpool
Lowest Attendance:	23,661 Middlesbrough 3–0 Sheffield Wednesday
Average Attendance:	30,449 (Premier League)
Prevseason:	2015–16
Nextseason:	2017–18
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The 2016–17 season was Middlesbrough's fifteenth season in the Premier League, their first since relegation in the 2008–09 season, after gaining promotion the previous season in their 141st year in existence.^[1] Along with the Premier League, the club also competed in the FA Cup and EFL Cup. The season covered the period from 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017.

Middlesbrough's long-awaited return to the top flight proved to be disastrous, as the team struggled to score goals all season, despite boasting a strong defensive record compared to other teams in the bottom half of the table. Their total of 27 goals scored throughout the season was the lowest in the Premier League, leading to manager Aitor Karanka's dismissal in March. Caretaker manager Steve Agnew could not improve the team's fortunes as they were relegated back to the Championship on 8 May 2017 following their 3–0 away defeat to Chelsea, who would go on to become champions.^[2]

Squad

First team squad

^[3]

Squad No.	Name	Nationality	Position(s)	Date of Birth (Age)	Previous Team
Goalkeepers
1	Dimitrios Konstantopoulos		GK	2017 6, df=yes	AEK Athens
12	Brad Guzan		GK	2017 6, df=yes	Aston Villa
26	Victor Valdes		GK	2017 6, df=yes	Barcelona
Defenders
2			FB	2017 6, df=yes	Cardiff City
3			LB	2017 6, df=yes	Doncaster Rovers
4			CB	2017 6, df=yes	Norwich City
5			CB	2017 6, df=yes	Sporting Gijón
6			CB	2017 6, df=yes	Academy
17			RB	2017 6, df=yes	Valencia
22			CB	2017 6, df=yes	Academy
25	Calum Chambers L		RB / CB	2017 6, df=yes	Arsenal
40			LB	2017 6, df=yes	Doncaster Rovers
-	Jordan McGhee L			2017 6, df=yes	Hearts
-	Nathan McGinley		LB	2017 6, df=yes	Academy
Midfielders
7			DM / CM	2017 6, df=yes	Ipswich Town
8			DM / CM	2017 6, df=yes	Huddersfield Town
14	Marten de Roon		DM / CM	2017 6, df=yes	Atalanta
18	Cristhian Stuani		RM / CF	2017 6, df=yes	Espanyol
19			AM / LM / RM	2017 6, df=yes	West Ham United
21	Gastón Ramírez		AM	2017 6, df=yes	Southampton
27	Adlène Guedioura			2017 6, df=yes	Watford
34	Adam Forshaw		CM / DM	2017 6, df=yes	Wigan Athletic
-	Alex Pattison			2017 6, df=yes	Academy
-	Lewis Maloney		CM	2017 6, df=yes	Academy
Strikers
10	Álvaro Negredo L		CF	2017 6, df=yes	Valencia
11	Viktor Fischer		LW	2017 6, df=yes	Ajax
20	Patrick Bamford		CF	2017 6, df=yes	Chelsea
29	Rudy Gestede		FW	2017 6, df=yes	Aston Villa
37	Adama Traoré		RW	2017 6, df=yes	Aston Villa

• L = Player on Loan

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
1 July 2016	DF				Free	^[4]
1 July 2016	FW				£3,800,000	^[5] ^[6]
4 July 2016	MF				£12,000,000	^[7] ^[8]
7 July 2016	GK				Free	^[9]
15 July 2016	DF				£3,000,000	^[10]
18 July 2016	MF				Free	^[11]
29 July 2016	GK				Free	^[12]
12 August 2016	DF				£2,000,000	^[13]
31 August 2016	FW				£7,500,000	^[14]
4 January 2017	FW				£6,000,000	^[15]
5 January 2017	FW		Mikael Soisalo		Undisclosed	^[16]
18 January 2017	FW				£6,000,000	^[17]
31 January 2017	MF				£4,500,000	^[18]
2 February 2017	MF		William Opoku Asiedu	Okyeman Planners	Free	^[19]

Total spending £20,800,000

Loans in

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Date until	Ref.
5 July 2016	DF				End of season	^[20]
20 July 2016	FW				End of season	^[21]
30 August 2016	DF				End of season	^[22]
2 February 2017	DF		Pedro Silva Torrejón		End of season	^[23]

Loans out

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	To	Date until	Ref.
1 July 2016	DF				4 January 2017	^[24]
9 July 2016	GK				End of season	^[25]
12 August 2016	MF				End of season	^[26]
30 August 2016	FW				End of season	^[27]
31 August 2016	DF				End of season	^[28]
31 August 2016	DF				4 January 2017	^[29]
5 January 2017	MF				End of season	^[30]
5 January 2017	GK				End of season	^[31]
26 January 2017	GK		Joseph Fryer		End of season	^[32]
27 January 2017	DF				31 January 2017	^[33]
31 January 2017	MF				End of season	^[34]
31 January 2017	MF		Callum Cooke		End of season	^[35]
31 January 2017	MF				End of season	^[36]
1 February 2017	FW				End of season	^[37]
2 February 2017	MF		William Opoku Asiedu		End of next season
2 February 2017	MF		Robbie Tinkler		End of season	^[38]

Transfers out

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
1 July 2016	DF			Retired	Released
1 July 2016	DF			Retired	Released	^[39]
1 July 2016	DF				Free	^[40]
1 July 2016	GK		Luke Coddington		Free	^[41]
1 July 2016	MF		Jordan Jones		Free
1 July 2016	DF		Andre Bennett		Free
30 August 2016	DF				Undisclosed	^[42]
30 August 2016	DF				Undisclosed	^[43]
31 August 2016	MF				Free	^[44]
31 August 2016	MF				Undisclosed	^[45]
31 August 2016	MF				£5,000,000	^[46]
9 January 2017	FW				Undisclosed	^[47]
18 January 2017	DF				Undisclosed	^[48]
20 January 2017	MF				Undisclosed	^[49]
26 January 2017	DF				Undisclosed	^[50]
31 January 2017	FW		Arnel Jakupovic		Undisclosed	^[51]
31 January 2017	DF				Undisclosed
1 February 2017	FW				Undisclosed

New contracts

		Player	Contract length	Contract end	Date	Source
4						^[52]
3						^[53]
6						^[54]
34						^[55]
22						^[56]

Competitions

Overview

Competition	Record
Premier League
FA Cup
League Cup
Total Premier League See main article: 2016–17 Premier League. League table FA Cup See main article: 2016–17 FA Cup. EFL Cup See main article: 2016–17 EFL Cup. Statistics Appearances No. Pos. Name Premier League FA Cup EFL Cup Total Discipline Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists 1 GK Dimitrios Konstantopoulos 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 DF Fábio 21 (3) 0 0 3 (1) 0 0 1 0 1 25 (3) 0 1 8 0 3 DF George Friend 20 (4) 0 2 2 0 0 0 (1) 0 0 22 (5) 0 2 4 0 4 DF Daniel Ayala 11 (3) 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 14 (3) 1 0 5 1 5 DF Bernardo Espinosa 10 (1) 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 14 (1) 0 0 2 0 6 DF Ben Gibson 38 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 41 1 1 5 0 7 MF Grant Leadbitter 7 (6) 1 0 4 2 1 0 0 0 11 (6) 3 1 4 0 8 MF Adam Clayton 32 (2) 0 2 4 0 0 1 0 0 36 (2) 0 2 11 0 10 FW Álvaro Negredo 33 (3) 9 4 1 (2) 1 1 0 0 0 34 (5) 10 5 5 0 11 FW Viktor Fischer 6 (7) 0 3 2 0 0 1 0 0 9 (7) 0 3 0 0 12 GK Brad Guzan 10 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 14 0 0 0 0 14 MF Marten de Roon 32 (1) 4 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 34 (1) 5 0 9 0 17 DF Antonio Barragán 26 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 27 0 0 5 0 18 MF Cristhian Stuani 16 (7) 4 0 2 (2) 1 0 0 (1) 0 0 18 (10) 5 0 4 0 19 MF Stewart Downing 24 (6) 1 3 2 (1) 1 0 1 0 0 27 (7) 2 3 2 0 20 FW Patrick Bamford 2 (6) 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 (6) 1 0 1 0 21 MF Gastón Ramírez 20 (4) 2 3 0 (2) 0 0 0 0 0 20 (6) 2 3 9 1 22 DF Dael Fry 0 0 0 0 (2) 0 0 0 0 0 0 (2) 0 0 0 0 25 DF Calum Chambers 24 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 26 1 1 5 0 26 GK Víctor Valdés 28 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 28 0 0 1 0 27 MF Adlène Guedioura 0 (5) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (5) 0 0 0 0 29 FW Rudy Gestede 4 (12) 1 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 7 (12) 2 0 2 0 34 MF Adam Forshaw 30 (4) 0 1 0 0 0 0 (1) 0 0 30 (5) 0 1 4 0 37 FW Adama Traoré 16 (11) 0 1 3 (1) 0 0 0 0 0 19 (12) 0 1 2 0 40 DF James Husband 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Players who left the club in August/January transfer window or on loan 9 FW Jordan Rhodes 2 (4) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 (4) 0 0 0 0 13 GK Tomás Mejías 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 DF Alex Baptiste 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 16 MF Carlos de Pena 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 MF Adam Reach 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 23 MF Julien De Sart 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 24 DF Emilio Nsue 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 27 MF Albert Adomah 1 (1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 (1) 0 0 0 0 35 FW David Nugent 0 (4) 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 (4) 1 0 0 0 - MF Bryn Morris 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Top scorers The list is sorted by shirt number when total goals are equal. width=10 width=10 width=10 width=150 Player width=50 Premier League width=50 FA Cup width=50 League Cup width=50 Total 1 FW 10 Álvaro Negredo 9 1 0 10 2 RM 18 Cristhian Stuani 4 1 0 5 CM 14 Marten de Roon 4 1 0 5 4 CM 7 Grant Leadbitter 1 2 0 3 5 AM 21 Gastón Ramírez 2 0 0 2 LM 19 Stewart Downing 1 1 0 2 FW 29 Rudy Gestede 1 1 0 2 8 CB 4 Daniel Ayala 1 0 0 1 CB 6 Ben Gibson 1 0 0 1 FW 20 Patrick Bamford 1 0 0 1 CB 25 Calum Chambers 1 0 0 1 FW 35 David Nugent 0 0 1 1 Own goals 1 0 0 1 Total 27 7 1 35 Clean sheets The list is sorted by shirt number when total appearances are equal. width=10 width=10 width=200 Player width=50 Premier League width=50 FA Cup width=50 League Cup width=50 Total 1 26 Víctor Valdés 8 0 0 8 2 12 Brad Guzan 3 1 0 4 3 1 Dimitrios Konstantopoulos 0 1 0 1 4 13 Tomás Mejías 0 0 0 0 Total 11 2 0 13 References

Notes and References

1. News: History . Statto.
2. Web site: Chelsea 3-0 Middlesbrough. 8 May 2017. BBC Sport.
3. Web site: Middlesbrough F.C. First team squad . mfc.co.uk . . 31 August 2016.
4. News: Bernardo Espinosa To Join Boro From La Liga Side Sporting Gijon . Middlesbrough Official Site . 15 June 2016 . 15 June 2016.
5. News: Boro Agree Deal To Sign Danish International Viktor Fischer From Ajax . Middlesbrough Official Site . 27 May 2016 . 5 July 2016.
6. News: Middlesbrough confirm signing of Viktor Fischer from Ajax . The Guardian . 27 May 2016 . 5 July 2016.
7. News: Boro Go Dutch With Marten De Roon Becoming The Third Signing Of The Summer . Middlesbrough Official Site . 4 July 2016 . 5 July 2016.
8. News: Boro sign Dutch midfielder De Roon . BBC . 4 July 2016 . 5 July 2016.
9. News: Boro Sign Barcelona Legend Victor Valdes . Middlesbrough Official Site . 7 July 2016 . 7 July 2016.
10. News: Antonio Barragán Joins Boro From Valencia . Middlesbrough Official Site . 15 July 2016 . 15 July 2016.
11. News: Gaston Ramirez signs three year deal . Sky Sports News. 18 July 2016 . 18 July 2016.
12. News: Boro Agree Deal To Sign Brad Guzan . Middlesbrough Official Site. 29 July 2016 . 29 July 2016.
13. News: Boro Sign Defender Fabio Da Silva . Middlesbrough Official Site. 12 August 2016 . 12 August 2016.
14. News: Deadline Day: Aston Villa's Adama Traore Joins Boro. Middlesbrough Official Site. 31 August 2016 . 31 August 2016.
15. News: Middlesbrough Complete The Signing Of Rudy Gestede From Aston Villa . Middlesbrough Official Site . 4 January 2017 . 4 January 2017.
16. News: Finnish Forward Joins Middlesbrough Academy . Middlesbrough Official Site . 5 January 2017 . 5 January 2017.
17. News: Middlesbrough Complete Signing Of Patrick Bamford From Chelsea . Middlesbrough Official Site . 18 January 2017 . 18 January 2017.
18. News: Middlesbrough Complete Signing Of Adlene Guedioura . Middlesbrough Official Site . 31 January 2017 . 31 January 2017.
19. News: Midfielder William Opoku Asiedu Joins Boro's Academy . Middlesbrough Official Site . 2 February 2017 . 2 February 2017.
20. News: Jordan McGhee joins Middlesbrough on loan from Hearts . SkySports . 5 July 2016 . 6 July 2016.
21. News: Deal Agreed To Bring Alvaro Negredo To Boro . Middlesbrough Official Site . 20 July 2016 . 20 July 2016.
22. News: England International Calum Chambers Joins Boro On Loan From Arsenal. Middlesbrough Official Site . 30 August 2016 . 30 August 2016.
23. News: Pedro Silva Torrejon Joins Boro's Under-23s On Loan . Middlesbrough Official Site . 2 February 2017 . 2 February 2017.
24. News: Kilmarnock sign 11 players in one day . BBC . 24 June 2016 . 27 June 2016.
25. News: Boro Goalkeeper Joining Latics For The Season . mfc.co. . 9 July 2016 . 9 July 2016.
26. News: Harry Chapman Joins Blades On Loan . mfc.co. . 12 August 2016 . 12 August 2016.
27. News: Bradley Fewster Goes On Loan To Hartlepool United . mfc.co. . 30 August 2016 . 30 August 2016.
28. News: Deadline Day: Alex Baptiste Joins Preston North End On Loan. mfc.co. . 31 August 2016 . 31 August 2016.
29. News: Dael Fry Signs New Long Term Contract And Joins Rotherham On Loan. mfc.co. . 31 August 2016 . 31 August 2016.
30. News: Julien de Sart Joins Derby County On Loan. mfc.co. . 5 January 2017 . 5 January 2017.
31. News: Tomas Mejias Completes Loan Move To Spain. mfc.co. . 5 January 2017 . 5 January 2017.
32. News: Joe Fryer Joins Hartlepool United On Loan . Middlesbrough Official Site . 26 January 2017 . 26 January 2017.
33. News: Mark Kitching Joins Rochdale On Loan . Middlesbrough Official Site . 27 January 2017 . 27 January 2017.
34. News: Harry Chapman Joins Sheffield United On Loan . Middlesbrough Official Site . 31 January 2017 . 31 January 2017.
35. News: Callum Cooke Joins Crewe Alexandra On Loan . Middlesbrough Official Site . 31 January 2017 . 31 January 2017.
36. News: Carlos De Pena Joins Real Oviedo . Middlesbrough Official Site . 31 January 2017 . 31 January 2017.
37. News: Jordan Rhodes Joins Sheffield Wednesday. Middlesbrough Official Site . 1 February 2017 . 1 February 2017.
38. News: Robbie Tinkler Joins North Ferriby On Loan . Middlesbrough Official Site . 2 February 2017 . 2 February 2017.
39. News: Jonathan Woodgate And Damia Join Rhys Williams In Departing Boro . Middlesbrough Official Site . 24 May 2016 . 24 May 2016.
40. News: Rhys Williams: Thank You All For Everything – Premier League Promotion Would Be The Perfect Ending . Middlesbrough Official Site . 20 April 2016 . 24 May 2016.
41. News: Goalkeeper Leaves Boro And Joins Progressive Championship Side. 21 May 2016. Middlesbrough F.C.. 19 May 2016.
42. News: Defender Adam Jackson Joins Sky Bet Championship Club Barnsley. https://web.archive.org/web/20161010124613/http://www.mfc.co.uk/news/article/2016/middlesbrough-fc-boro-adam-jackson-barnsley-fc-3280822.aspx . 10 October 2016 . 30 August 2016. Middlesbrough F.C.. 30 August 2016.
43. News: Bradley Halliday Joins Cambridge United. 30 August 2016. Middlesbrough F.C.. 30 August 2016.
44. News: Deadline Day: Muzzy Carayol Departs Boro. 31 August 2016. Middlesbrough F.C.. 31 August 2016.
45. News: Deadline Day: Albert Adomah Joins Aston Villa. 31 August 2016. Middlesbrough F.C.. 31 August 2016.
46. News: Deadline Day: Sheffield Wednesday Make Transfer Swoop For Adam Reach. 31 August 2016. Middlesbrough F.C.. 31 August 2016.
47. News: David Nugent Joins Derby County . Middlesbrough Official Site . 9 January 2017 . 9 January 2017.
48. News: Emilio Nsue Joins Birmingham City . Middlesbrough Official Site . 18 January 2017 . 18 January 2017.
49. News: 20 January 2017 . Boro Academy Graduate Bryn Morris Joins Shrewsbury Town . https://web.archive.org/web/20170202001908/https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/article/2016/middlesbrough-fc-shrewsbury-town-fc-bryn-morris-3528826.aspx . 2 February 2017 . 20 January 2017 . Middlesbrough Official Site.
50. News: Boro Academy Graduate Jonny Burn Joins Bristol Rovers . Middlesbrough Official Site . 26 January 2017 . 26 January 2017.
51. News: Arnel Jakupovic Leaves Boro To Join Empoli. Middlesbrough Official Site . 31 January 2017 . 31 January 2017.
52. News: Dani Ayala Signs Contract Extension With Boro. Middlesbrough Official Site . 5 August 2016 . 5 August 2016.
53. News: George Friend Pens Contract Extension With Boro. Middlesbrough Official Site . 13 August 2016 . 13 August 2016.
54. News: Ben Gibson Pledges Long-Term Future To Boro By Signing New Contract. Middlesbrough Official Site . 20 August 2016 . 20 August 2016.
55. News: Adam Forshaw Signs Contract Extension With Boro. Middlesbrough Official Site . 26 August 2016 . 26 August 2016.
56. News: Deadline Day: Dael Fry Signs New Long Term Contract And Joins Rotherham On Loan. Middlesbrough Official Site . 31 August 2016 . 31 August 2016.