Neto Borges was Bristol City’s final signing of the summer transfer window, joining the Robins on loan from MiddlesbroughNeto Borges featured off of the bench in Bristol City’s defeat to Oxford(Image: EFL)

Rob Edwards has explained that he and Middlesbrough “stand by” their decision to allow Neto Borges to join Bristol City late in the transfer window, despite ending up down to their “bare bones” defensively during their win over West Brom.

Borges was City and Gerhard Struber’s fifth and final addition of the summer transfer window, making the move to Ashton Gate on loan from Championship rivals Boro less than 24 hours before the deadline, having seen his minutes limited at the Riverside Stadium in the opening weeks of the campaign.

So far, Borges has yet to make his first start for the Robins, but has twice featured from the bench. The 29-year-old played the final four minutes and stoppage time against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough before replacing Ross McCrorie midway through the second half of the Reds’ 3-1 defeat to Oxford United.

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In the space of those two cameos, the Brazilian has already played more league minutes than he managed under Edwards, but Boro have now found themselves short of defensive cover. George Edmundson was forced off in the first half of their win over the Baggies on Friday night, and with both Dael Fry and Darragh Lenihan also sidelined, Matt Targett was forced into a more central position.

Although Borges would have offered an alternative option in such a role, Edwards has backed Middlesbrough’s call, insisting the club are happy with their options in central defence.

When asked about the decision to let Borges leave the Riverside on loan, Edwards told Teesside Live, “We discussed a lot of the options we had. You can’t always be thinking you’re going to be two or three defenders down.

“You haven’t got a crystal ball, and obviously, there’s a bit of bad luck with the head injury [to Edmundson]. We always consider those things.

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“But there is always a player and a human being involved in that as well. If someone is keen to play as well, we have to take that into consideration. We stand by the decision we made, though.

“We’ve signed Adilson [Malanda] as well, who’ll join us in a couple of months’ time as well. So we feel we’re all right in that area. We just ended up a bit bare bones tonight.”

In what is a bit of a coincidence, Borges’ route into the Robins’ starting line-up could also come in a more central defensive role over the coming weeks, depending on the severity of Rob Atkinson’s knee injury.

The 27-year-old was forced off the field just 15 minutes into City’s home defeat to Oxford United on Sunday afternoon, having gone to ground inside the U’s penalty area. After receiving treatment, the defender made way for George Tanner.

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Tanner slotted in as the right-sided member of the Reds’ back three with Zak Vyner moving into the left-sided role for the remainder of the contest. Although the academy graduate has proven to be more than capable on his weaker side, City lacked a left-footed presence in their backline and on that side of the pitch as a whole – with McCrorie at left wing-back and Anis Mehmeti as the left-sided number 10.

While the severity of Atkinson’s knee injury is not yet known – he was set to undergo a scan on Monday – if he is ruled out for any stretch of time, Borges could provide Struber with a left-footed option in central defence. His minutes so far in red and white have come at left wing-back, but the City boss has previously suggested he could feature in a deeper role.

“I think these are both positions where he is, in the end, our plan to bring him,” Struber told Bristol Live earlier this month. “This can be the left wing-back position, but he can also play in a wide defender role.

“In more directions, he has power, especially, as I say, in on-ball moments, he has really good ideas and is very creative.”

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