An agreement to replace Rob Edwards, whose contentious departure for Wolves was announced last week, with Hammarby coach Kim Hellberg is being finalised by Middlesbrough. The 37-year-old Swedish coach Hellberg recently led Hammarby to second place in the Swedish Allsvenskan, which concluded its 2025 regular season last week.
Hellberg, who has been highly acclaimed and connected to several positions in Britain over the past year, is anticipated to bring David Selini, his assistant, to the Riverside. Before the international break, Viveash managed Middlesbrough’s 2-1 victory over Birmingham City at home, during which Edwards was given permission to address Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Wolves paid Middlesbrough over £3 million in compensation for Edwards, 42, who joined the Championship team this summer on a three-year deal but has since taken Vitor Pereira’s position at Molineux. Middlesbrough, who are in second place in the Championship, will play Coventry City, who are five points ahead of them, on Tuesday night.
Kim Hellberg to Middlesbrough all go as release clause triggered
Hellberg will be in place before one of those games, according to Middlesbrough. Hammarby has been approached for comment by The Athletic. In Sweden, Hellberg has rapidly established himself as a player-improvement coach. He began coaching in the lower levels at the age of 23 after having a lacklustre playing career.
He was hired by IFK Varnamo in 2021 at the age of 33, and during the team’s debut in Sweden’s top league, he guided them to a 10th-place finish in the Allsvenskan. This accomplishment came before he moved to Hammarby, when he took over a seventh-place club.
Stockholm-based Hammarby finished second in Hellberg’s inaugural season in 2024 and again in 2025. Hellberg will be the second non-Briton to manage Middlesbrough in the club’s history, after Aitor Karanka.
