A summer signing at Middlesbrough has been compared to a three-time Premier League Golden Boot winner.
The 2024 summer transfer window has already seen plenty of change in Middlesbrough’s ranks, both on and off the pitch.
Michael Carrick committed his future to the club earlier this month by signing a new three-year deal, but he has lost a key member of his staff.
First-team coach Aaron Danks has departed Boro to work under former Burnley boss Vincent Kompany at Bayern Munich.
Elsewhere, former Manchester United player Paddy McNair left the club alongside goalkeeper Liam Roberts after their contracts expired.
On the incomings front, meanwhile, the Reds signed Luke Ayling on a free transfer after he impressed during a loan spell from Leeds United in the second half of 2023/24.
Ayling’s move was swiftly followed by the Teessiders confirming the permanent transfer of Delano Burgzorg from German outfit, Mainz 05.
Delano Burgzorg likened to Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah
Burgzorg joins Middlesbrough from Mainz but only played 17 games for the Bundesliga side, spending 2023/24 on loan in the Championship with Huddersfield Town.
The 25-year-old made 33 league appearances for the Terriers, scoring seven and assisting three in the process.
Now, speaking to Teesside Live, We Are Terriers’ Huddersfield Town correspondent Steven Chicken has shared an insight into what Burgzorg can bring to Boro in 2024/25.
Chicken was quick to highlight Burgzorg’s ability to run at people, as well as his skillful nature.
He said: “The first thing you’ll notice is that he can be impossible to get off the ball once he’s on it. He’s big, strong and skilful, and loves to run at people.
“Defenders hate playing against him. At his best, Burgzorg came up with some superb goals that nobody else in that team would have had a prayer of scoring.”
The journalist went on to compare Middlesbrough’s latest signing to a lower-league version of three-time Premier League Golden Boot winner, Mohamed Salah.
Chicken added: “At his best, I always saw him as being like a bit of a lower league Mo Salah, strictly in that he could offer nothing else for 90 minutes but if he scored a vital goal or two, you didn’t mind.
“It’s possible that playing in a better team might bring that out of him more often than we saw at Huddersfield.”
How will Middlesbrough use Delano Burgzorg
Throughout his senior career to date, the Dutchman has primarily been used as a left-winger, scoring 18 goals and providing three assists from this position.
At present, Boro’s main left-wing options are Sam Silvera and Alex Gilbert, neither of which were able to match Burgzorg’s numbers in the 2023/24 campaign.
Silvera scored four and assisted two in 37 Championship outings, while Gilbert scored one and assisted three in 12, though he was used as a number 10 for the most part.
As a result, if Burgzorg was able to outperform Silvera in a Huddersfield side who were relegated last season, Carrick should consider making the wide man his primary left-winger in the upcoming season.
Burgzorg could also provide Middlesbrough with some much-needed depth through the middle as well.
Outside of Emmanuel Latte Lath, who scored 16 in 30 league games last term, Boro lack any real quality depth in the centre-forward area.
So, as Burgzorg has previously played 64 games as a striker, Carrick could use his latest signing to provide cover for Latte Lath when required.