Middlesbrough's recruitment team have been tracking Croatian midfielder Rokas Pukstas, while young defender Jack Daley has secured a loan move to gain senior experience. The club's early-season form sees them sixth in the Championship with two wins from three games.
Boro's scouts began watching Pukstas closely at the start of last year. The 21-year-old Hajduk Split player had scored 10 goals and provided four assists in that campaign. His performances, including a dramatic extra-time winner in a European play-off this season, highlighted a unique skillset that appealed to the Championship side.
Pukstas's journey to this point has been shaped by learning from legends. He recalled having coffee with Croatian icon Ivan Perišić in Split, describing the surreal experience of quizzing a World Cup finalist. He also played under former AC Milan star Gennaro Gattuso at Hajduk, noting the manager's strict, disciplined approach helped shape the locker room's respect.
19-year-old centre-back Jack Daley has joined League Two side Gillingham on a season-long loan. Daley, who signed a new contract with Boro before departing, stated his clear objective is to force his way into the Gills' team and adapt to the physical demands of senior football. He was impressed by manager Gareth Ainsworth's track record of giving young players a chance.
The defender caught the eye during Middlesbrough's pre-season, earning a start in a friendly at Celtic. His move is designed to provide regular minutes that would have been unlikely in Boro's immediate Championship plans.
Kim Hellberg's side have made a solid start to the 2026/27 campaign. They currently sit sixth in the Championship table with six points from three matches, following a win-loss-win pattern. The team has scored six goals and conceded four, giving them a positive goal difference of two.
They are four points behind early leaders Swansea City. The next test is an away trip to face Queens Park Rangers, who are fourth in the table, on September 5th. Fans can follow the evolving league picture on our standings page. The upcoming match is a key early opportunity to close the gap at the top.
His upbringing was foundational. Both of his parents were elite athletes; his father was an Olympic marathon runner for Lithuania and his mother a successful triple jumper and coach. Pukstas said that everything was a competition at home, which installed a mindset of discipline and hard work from an early age.
He moved to Croatia from the United States at just 16, making his senior debut for Hajduk Split at 17. By 21, he had already made over 100 appearances for the club. His parents consistently praised his work ethic over his natural talent, an approach he believes solidified him as a consistent performer. Check the latest team statistics and form on our stats hub.
Boro's next Championship fixture is against QPR at Loftus Road on September 5th.
