Man City's £12.5m star of the future might finally get what he needs - 'We’re very excited'

Sverre Nypan completed a season-long loan move from Manchester City to Middlesbrough in the summer but he's experienced a stop-start campaign thus far.

When Sverre Nypan sealed a loan switch to Middlesbrough in the summer transfer window, Rob Edwards couldn't quite believe his luck at having landed such a talented prospect.

The former Boro coach talked of a really talented youngster who he was "very excited" to have at the club, predicting the Manchester City loanee would "slot in nicely" at the Riverside.

Such talk was vindicated early on in his Teesside stay. Preconceptions are bound to be formed when an exciting youngster drops down from one of the Premier League's big boys into the Championship, but Nypan proved he was up for the battle of the second tier.

The 18-year-old's industry and work off the ball instantly stood out, and when he delivered a moment of magic late on in a draw at Preston it was clear why City had forked out £12.5million on a player even most football hipsters weren't aware of.

The aforementioned moment of magic at Deepdale looked set to be the springboard for Nypan's loan spell, but since then things haven't quite gone as hoped.

Nypan has found himself on the fringes of first team action, with just three starts from a possible 13. While there have been glimmers of promise from the youngster, an ever-changing Boro frontline has meant Nypan has struggled to gel with his teammates and it's evident his progress on Teesside has been stunted by a lack of understanding of his fellow forward players' game.

Boro's solid start to the season has been built more on defensive solidity than free-flowing attacking play, with only two clubs in the top 11 scoring fewer than Boro's 19 goals. Edwards struggled to settle on a preferred frontline during his time at the club, but his recent departure could prove to be the fillip Nypan's loan stint requires.

The promotion chasers are on the hunt for a new boss, with Adi Viveash currently at the helm on an interim basis. Carlos Corberan and Steven Gerrard have both been mooted as possible replacements for Edwards, and until a permanent head coach is appointed it's difficult to know how Nypan's temporary move away will pan out.

But the constant chopping and changing under Edwards evidently had a detrimental effect on Boro's attacking play, with no forward scoring more than twice in the league so far. Structure and consistency are key factors in the success of any team, and no player needs them more than a young man looking to adapt to a new team and a new lifestyle in a foreign country.

It's not been an easy few months for Nypan at Middlesbrough, but hopefully a new coach can bring a more settled look to Boro's starting line up and allow the City youngster to build a relationship with his teammates.

City have undoubtedly got a talented player on their hands, he just needs the right environment to be able to flourish.

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