Brighton striker excited to start 'enjoying' football again with Boro loan

The 21-year-old joined the Championship side after a frustrating first half of the season, which saw his time on the pitch hindered by injury and form.

He told MFC Digital: “Really good. Excited to be here, it is obviously a massive club, and I am just excited to get playing and enjoying football again and get them back to where they belong.

“There is a good feel about the place.

Aaron Connolly scored in the Carabao Cup this season

“It is nice to come into a place that is winning and they are on a good run.

“Hopefully, I can get into the team, it will be tough, but if I do, I can help keep that momentum going.

“It is going to be tough (to get into the team), I am not going to come down from Brighton and expect to walk straight into the team.

“I am here to help first and foremost and I can help the winning run and push to the right keep that momentum going.”

Connolly has also suggested that it was an easy move for himself to make due to the size of Middlesbrough as a club.

His decision was made up after a conversation with Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder.

Boro manager Chris Wilder convinced Brighton and Hove Albion Aaron Connolly to join the club on loan

“I did not need much persuasion to come here as it is a massive club. I spoke to the gaffer on Christmas Eve, and we had a good chat on the phone, and that was the final bit of persuasion that I needed.

“I have played against the gaffer’s teams before and the way he had them playing you could tell they were all tactically aware.

“I am excited to play under him and to get going.

“I like to make runs in behind and with the way the gaffer plays, I can suit that, with the high intensity and pressing from the front and just that energy.

“Hopefully, I can bring that and the fans can see that I am working hard for the team.”

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Albion head coach Graham Potter believes that the move for Connolly will be good for him as he has the chance to get more minutes on the pitch.

He said: “This move represents a very good opportunity for Aaron to play more regular football.

“His opportunities here have not been as frequent as he would have liked this season.

“The aim is that he will get more game time at Middlesbrough.

“Playing regularly will help him to continue his development, and at a club who are pushing for promotion and under a really highly-regarded manager.”

Connolly has made 52 appearances for Albion in all competitions scoring eight and assisting three more, including a brace in his Premier League debut against Tottenham Hotspur.