Few would have expected Neto Borges to play such an important role this season

Neto Borges has fully justified Kim Hellberg’s decision to hold on to the Brazilian defender this season.

It would have been so easy to sell or offer Borges out for loan again, following his loan deal at Bristol City last term.

City did not push to make the move a permanent one, though Boro might easily have been tempted to sell if a decent offer had come in from another club.

The departure of Matt Targett left a vacancy in the Boro side which seemed likely to be filled by the arrival of Max Arfsten.

While Arfsten was given time to settle and learn the ropes, Borges initially proved an ideal player to fill the gap. It's fair to say he's doing far more than that now, however.

He shows plenty of enthusiasm in the role and his high level of commitment has been fully illustrated in recent games, including his excellent last-minute winner against Stoke City.

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Even if Borges eventually loses out in the long run to Arfsten on a regular basis, Hellberg needs competition for places throughout the side.

The Brazilian will continue to be a useful guy to have around, especially if the injury crisis returns at some stage. Certainly, the back line is the one remaining area which Hellberg needs to keep a close eye on.

Boro have not defended brilliantly in some of their games so far. They still appear to be a bit susceptible in the air and can be a bit open at times. The return of Alfie Jones should make a big difference.

Once the defence is settled and operating to an efficient level, Hellberg should have everything he needs in place throughout the whole team.

But having Borges there, who can offer extra cover as a centre-back, and can also operate in a hybrid role moving between being a third centre-back and a left-back during a game, means he's made himself a really useful and important option for Hellberg.