With the start of the 2016/17 Premier League season less than two weeks away, Premier League correspondent Richard Jolly provides his previews for each club. Here he looks at Middlesbrough.
• More: See all of Richard's previews
Back after a seven-year absence, Middlesbrough’s promotion was overseen by Jose Mourinho’s former assistant at Real Madrid, Aitor Karanka, but also eventful: the Spaniard seemed certain to leave the club in March, missed the match at Charlton Athletic after an apparent falling-out with his players and returned to lead them to the top flight.
Ambition is again apparent. Boro were the Championship’s biggest spenders last summer and their outlay is far greater than those of the other promoted clubs.
It feels a return to their recent glory days of the 1990s and 2000s when chairman Steve Gibson invested heavily.
Dutch midfielder Maarten de Roon, at £12 million (Dh58m), is their biggest summer buy and funds have also been spent on Danish winger Viktor Fischer and Spanish full-back Antonio Barragan while Gaston Ramirez, a catalytic loan signing last season, is now a permanent recruit.
The most high-profile additions, however, are Karanka’s compatriots Victor Valdes and Alvaro Negredo, men with considerable achievements in their past but a need to get their careers back on track.
The striker is especially significant: a criticism of Karanka’s Boro is that, while they have been defensively excellent, they have scored too few goals.
They ought to have the firepower to stay up now, though.
• The National's Premier League section: All the latest from the Premier League, including news, interviews, features, and much more
Key Man: Victor Valdes
After two forgettable years, featuring injury, a falling-out with Louis van Gaal and a loan spell at Standard Liege, this is a belated chance to show why he was Barcelona’s first choice for a decade.
Pivotal Signing: Alvaro Negredo
Borrowed from Valencia, after two underwhelming seasons, Negredo struck 23 times in his only campaign in England, despite not scoring after January. The target man could add incision.
Point to Prove: Jordan Rhodes
The most consistent goalscorer in England’s lower leagues, with 137 goals in five years, he has never played in the Premier League. Some have pigeonholed Rhodes as a Championship player.
Crucial Factor: The defence
Boro’s was the most frugal in all four divisions last season. They were particularly hard to breach at home, conceding just eight goals. Can the centre-back duo of Ben Gibson and Daniel Ayala prove equally excellent at a higher level?
Predicted finish: 12th
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dooda%20Solutions%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Lebanon%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENada%20Ghanem%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20AgriTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24300%2C000%20in%20equity-free%20funding%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2011%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cargoz%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Premlal%20Pullisserry%20and%20Lijo%20Antony%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2030%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Profile box
Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
The biog
Age: 32
Qualifications: Diploma in engineering from TSI Technical Institute, bachelor’s degree in accounting from Dubai’s Al Ghurair University, master’s degree in human resources from Abu Dhabi University, currently third years PHD in strategy of human resources.
Favourite mountain range: The Himalayas
Favourite experience: Two months trekking in Alaska
