Why Hull City must sign Marvin Johnson on loan from Middlesbrough
As per a report by Yorkshire Post, Hull City are interested in wrapping up a loan deal for Middlesbrough attacker Marvin Johnson. Although the English transfer window has slammed shut, Championship clubs can still sign players on loan until the European deadline at the end of the month.
The out-of-favour winger could truly benefit if the move materializes. Although Middlesbrough have been working wonders in the second-tier competition so far, Johnson is in dire need of reviving his career. And joining Nigel Adkins’ men could provide him with the perfect platform for doing so.
Yorkshire Post goes on to claim that Hull could lose Kamil Grosicki before the European window closes. If that happens, Hull will face a severe shortage of depth on the wings and to that end, signing Johnson temporarily could be a blessing in disguise.
Johnson joined Middlesbrough back in 2017 but since then, he has managed to make just 17 appearances in the Championship. The 27-year-old, who had joined from Oxford United, seems to be on the fringes this season as well. Until now, he has only managed to appear twice for Boro, out of which one was a substitute appearance.
If Grosicki does leave Hull, Johnson could be the ideal like-for-like replacement. Quite like the Tigers’ man, the Boro attacker is adept at holding onto the ball and his dribbling skills are absolutely top-notch. Perhaps he just needs a new environment and a regular run of games to regain his form and revive his career.
Although current Boro manager Tony Pulis frequently opts for the likes of Adama Traore and Stewart Downing on the wings, it must be noted that Johnson was quite impressive during his League Cup start recently. Middlesbrough won against Notts County on penalties and the powerful winger had put up an enticing display.
However, it remains to be seen if Pulis continues to hand him these chances. Furthermore, if Grosicki does exit Hull, Johnson could enjoy a bigger role at the club, thus boosting his confidence as well.
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As far as the Tigers are concerned, they must improve their squad depth after narrowly avoiding relegation to the League One last season. Hence, given Johnson’s recent display, Hull must take advantage of the situation at Riverside Stadium by snapping him up on a season-long loan.