Middlesbrough FC post pre-tax profit of £2m - but why tough times lie ahead

The figure contrasts with the previous year’s loss of £6.4m - with the improvement down to the combined big-money departures of Adama Traore, Patrick Bamford and Ben Gibson in the summer of 2018 - which helped account for a £33m profit on players sales in 2018-19.

Boro spent around £11m on incoming signings in that 2018-19 period - spending sizeable six-figure fees to sign George Saville and Aden Flint - but the sales of the aforementioned trio to Wolves, Leeds United and Burnley respectively ensured the club posted a big overall transfer profit.

Without those major sales, the Teesside club are likely to have posted a hefty loss, underlining Boro's continued focus on retrenchment and further reducing costs on the playing front.

Boro also revealed that they had recouped another £4.4m since last June in further player transfers.

The club’s revenues fell from £62m to £55.6m after a drop in income from broadcasting from £46m to £40m while gate receipts were down by £1m to £6m.

The accounts also revealed that wages fell from £43.2m to £35.6m as the club continue to tighten their belts following the ending of their parachute payments and drop in revenue following relegation in 2016-17.