Overview
- Both Max Arfsten and Sebastian Berhalter completed transfers to Middlesbrough and made their first competitive starts in a 1-0 EFL Cup win, a result achieved on Friday at the Riverside.
- Manager Kim Hellberg confirmed Arfsten was thrown into the match squad after limited training and plans to deploy him on the left side as a left back or left wing-back because of his two-footed versatility.
- Sebastian Berhalter played the full 90 minutes and supplied the assist for the winning goal while Arfsten lasted 67 minutes, winning key duels and contributing defensively in his debut.
- Reported fees vary by outlet with Arfsten cited near $7.5 million and Berhalter at roughly mid-seven figures, and both moves continue Middlesbrough’s recent recruitment focus on young MLS and U.S. national-team talent.
- The next phase for both players is adapting to the Championship’s physical and tactical demands ahead of Middlesbrough’s league opener on August 15, which will show how quickly they can influence Boro’s promotion bid.