Middlesbrough head of football Kieran Scott has revealed more details about how the club came to land Manchester City wonderkid Sverre Nypan this summer.
The Norway prospect joined Boro on loan from Manchester City, just one month after completing a £12.5 million move to the Etihad from Rosenborg. There was plenty of interest in taking the 18-year-old on loan when it became apparent that City would look to loan him out, notably from some top clubs across Europe.
In the end, though, Boro won the race. He’d been a player Boro had previously scouted at Rosenborg, but eventually stopped doing so as they realised Europe’s elite were already beginning to circle. That meant Nypan was known to the club’s recruitment team, however.
So when he did become available for loan, Boro’s pre-existing knowledge of the player, the relationship between Neil Bausor and City Group executive Brian Marwood, and also the club’s recent record of developing young players worked in Boro’s favour. In a real compliment to the club, City are said to have identified Boro as the ideal destination for the wonderkid, with a preference on their side for him to stay and experience English football.
Discussing the loan deal, Scott told BBC Tees: “We actually stopped scouting him. It got to the point where we just thought he was beyond us. So we were delighted when he went to City. Neil has a really good relationship with Brian Marwood, so I said, 'just try a little message, see what you get back'. And it was a positive message back.
“Their loan manager had spoken to [chief scout] Ian Breckin as well and said we'd be a good loan. They seemed to identify us as much as we identified the player, so it was good. My understanding is we were the choice. If I'm wrong I apologise but my understanding is they identified us.
“I think we have such a good track record with the loans over the years, and we've shown we will play good players even if they are young. Ben Doak, for example. It's good that City see us as that and hopefully we can keep doing that.”
There is often confusion around Boro’s use of the loan market and what their intentions are. While it’s true that there’s a preference to sign players permanently who the club actually own, Boro have proven in recent seasons that you can still use the loan market in the right scenarios to strengthen your squad in key areas of add quality you otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford.
It’s over-relying on loan signings that Boro are keen to avoid. That follows the fallout of the 2022-23 season where Boro reached the play-offs under Michael Carrick. Five of their six loan players that season had been important first-team players, and it resulted in a huge rebuild being needed that summer.
On the use of the loan market, Scott said: “I think loans are good to have a balance of. As we move year on year we have a squad or nucleus of a group now, so we're sprinkling. We've been guilty in the past of taking too many loans but now we have a good spine of our players, then you add Sverre.
“Matt Targett was a great addition. Alan Browne similar. So they're giving us good options. And it's very difficult to buy everyone you want because you're talking £45, £50m if you buy every player for the level you need. Sverre is a bright player. Man City don't sign bad players.
“They've obviously seen something major in him to invest that kind of money and they trusted us, which is a compliment to us that they feel we can take players like that. We've obviously had success with Morgan. It's a little relationship that's building well. Hopefully we can send Sverre back there and he's playing for them next season.”
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