MIDDLESBROUGH head coach Kim Hellberg is convinced that Ashley Phillips can become a Premier League class centre-back - but he is not there yet.
Tonight, the big-money summer signing returns to the club where his considerable potential started to come to the fore in Stoke City, having spent two rewarding seasons on loan in the Potteries in 2024-25 and 2025-26 after joining from Tottenham Hotspur.
He was shortlisted for the Championship's young player of the season accolade last term during his time at Stoke, who are just two places and two points behind second-placed Boro in the present.
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The 21-year-old is now starting to show his talent on Teesside, having joined for an initial £7million.
Hellberg said: "Ash has all the potential in the world to be as good a centre-back as there is and the thing for him is - and that's why I think he's here - I think the way we play challenges him to do those things he needs to do to become a Premier League centre-back.
"I think he's not there at the moment, but in some aspects of the game, he's up at a top, top level.
"If he can add on that - which he's trying to work on every day and is getting better at every time—there's no stopping where he can go.
“But he needs to work with that, and that's why I think he's here."
Further forward, Tommy Conway is finding a successful home as a left-sided attacker and the switch from the centre is reaping rewards.
On the ex-Bristol City attacker, who expertly set up Will Lankshear's weekend winner versus Wolves at a sold-out Riverside Stadium, he continued: "I think Tommy has an unbelievable quality running behind, he's very good in that area.
"I think he could still be a good 'nine' in teams that maybe need that more in a transition team.
"I think sometimes as a nine when your best quality is running behind, it can be more difficult in a team that is more dominant with the ball, which means that space becomes less in central areas.
"If you then move him out, that can open up for the same runs but with more space because often centre backs stay more central, which means you can isolate (players) maybe one against one more.”
Defender Alfie Jones remains sidelined alongside USA-born midfielder Rokas Pukstas, who is set to be out for ‘a while’ and certainly won't be back this month, according to Hellberg.