Sverre Nypan is struggling for game-time at Middlesbrough
15:00, 19 Jan 2026
Sverre Nypan of Middlesbrough thanks the fans
Sverre Nypan of Middlesbrough thanks the fans(Image: Matt West/Shutterstock)
Kim Hellberg can’t promise Sverre Nypan more game-time at Middlesbrough, but he will guarantee Manchester City that he won’t just neglect the young midfielder.
Nypan is currently struggling to make an impact at Boro, after joining on loan from Manchester City in the summer. The move to Boro came in the same summer he moved to the Etihad from Rosenborg, where he’d made his senior breakthrough.
But the Norwegian prospect has struggled at the Riverside, with the tempo and physicality of the Championship often appearing too much for him, as he struggles to adapt.
The result has been a lack of game-time for the loanee, who it was hoped might have a similar impact to Ben Doak last season. Instead, Nypan has started only three games and rarely features for long when he does make it off the bench.
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That has led to uncertainty over his future at Boro. It’s understood that whether or not to terminate the loan early this month rests solely with Manchester City. They are only likely to activate their recall clause if they have a suitable alternative move lined up.
Both City and Nypan will of course want their prospect playing more in the second half of the season. But with Boro challenging for promotion and looking to strengthen their options in this month’s window, Hellberg can’t guarantee him that at Boro. But what he promises City he will do, is work with him in training, just like any other player, to help his development in that way.
Hellberg said of the loanee: “Doesn’t everyone want to play more? If I could have played against Fulham, I would like to have played in that game too! It’s the same for everyone.
“Everyone wants to play as much as possible, and there’s nothing wrong with that. There’s a few that have played every minute, and I’m sure they are happy, but I’m also sure that everyone else will have wanted to play more.
“The players want to play, and if they are loan players, their club will want them to play as much as possible. But there’s so much more to that which is important – how they are acting when they are not playing, how can we help them in that situation?
“I think everyone that trains with us can see we are doing as much as we can to help them develop as much as possible. But it is only ten spots and a goalkeeper – you cannot do anything about that.
“I think we create an environment here with how we work that helps the players feel that. It is my choice who I put on the pitch, but as long as we are doing all we can to help the players develop, I think they respect that. They don’t always agree with the decision, but it’s a very good group to work with.”
Amid his lack of game-time, Nypan was among a strong Boro Under-21s side that beat Ipswich Town 6-1 on Sunday afternoon. Hellberg took the opportunity to get fringe players a game, and take a closer look at them in competitive action. As well as Nypan, Abdoulaye Kante, Law McCabe, Micah Hamilton and Sontje Hansen also played, alongside new signing Finley Munroe.
Munroe scored twice, Hamilton once (as well as three assists), while recent first-team debutant Cruz Ibeh scored a hat-trick. Hansen grabbed an assist in the game too.
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