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Middlesbrough FC v Wrexham: 'I think when we start the season we're going to be at a higher level,' says Kim Hellberg Middlesbrough v Wrexham Even after the loss of their best player this summer, Kim Hellberg believes Middlesbrough will go into the new season stronger than they came out of the last one. Boro are one of the first to kick off 2026-27, with a televised game at home to Wrexham in the first round of the League Cup. Although their transfer business is not complete, the Teessiders go into it in good spirits after a positive transfer window. Will Lankshear, Kyle Joseph, Myles Peart-Harris, Sebastian Berhalter and Max Arfsten have joined, whilst Jeremy Sarmiento qualified for a permanent move when on loan last season. Those deals have to a large extent been funded by Championship player of the year Hayden Hackney's move to Everton for a fee potentially rising to £25m. The upshot is a squad Hellberg believes will be better than the one which lost May's play-off final to Hull City by the time they play their next Championship fixture, at home to Lincoln City on August 15. "There's been a lot of players coming here and I'm very happy with that," said a coach overseeing his first pre-season at the Riverside. "There's a lot of young talented players that we have signed, with everyone in the same profile. They want to come here to develop, they see this is a good club and that makes me very happy. "Steve (Gibson, the chairman), Kieran (Scott, head of football) and Neil (Bausor, chief executive) are doing a good job in trying to get the best possible for this year, but also for the future. "I think you can see that in the signings we made. The players are 25 years-old or younger, which means there's a lot of potential." Asked how this season's squad compares to the one he inherited last season, Hellberg replied: "We lost some good players. Hayden, Dael (Fry), Tiggs (Matt Targett), Browny (Alan Browne) – four players that played a lot, Sammy (Silvera) and Gilly (Alex Gilbert), too. "But we also get some very good, talented players in. "So I think when we start the season we're going to be at a higher level. I think we have a higher potential and we're going to have a stronger squad when we start the season. "You can also see the interest from the supporters, how many people showed up for the last friendly against Espanyol (over 15,000), season tickets, all those things. You see we're building something very strong. "And that's why I feel that we are closer, having the possibility to get to where we were last year. "Looking at from my point of view, three-and-a-half years (the length of his contract) to get there (the Premier League), my feeling is that we're getting closer. "We need some more players (and) we have some players that have been injured for the whole pre-season that we need back. It's getting closer and closer to a very talented group of players, but also a very fun one to work with. "There's so much potential in it and there's so many great guys that want to work for it every day. "That's why I'm looking at this squad and seeing it will be a great year." As such, Boro will not be at full strength. Joseph and Afsten ae set to make their debuts, but Peart-Harris and David Strelec are not due to resume training after injury until next week.