LUKAS Engel is expected to return to Middlesbrough after spending almost the entirety of 2025 on loan at Cincinnati in the MLS.

The defender linked up with Cincinnati in February and played a prominent role in their MLS campaign, starting 31 of their 33 games in the league phase and helping the side to finish second in the Eastern Conference behind Philadelphia.

He then recovered from injury to play for Cincinnati in the play-offs but his hopes of MLS glory ended with a 4-0 semi-final defeat to Lionel Messi's Inter Miami.

Despite the fact Engel impressed and played a key role throughout the MLS season, the current expectation is that Cincinnati will not exercise the option to make Engel's loan deal permanent.

That means Engel will return to Boro with 18 months still to run on his con

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