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Middlesbrough are flying high at the summit of the Championship right now, with the vibes at an all-time high around the Riverside.
Middlesbrough have leapfrogged Swansea City to go top of the Championship table following their 5-1 thumping of Bolton Wanderers last Friday at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
It was an impressive summer window for Boro on paper, and so that is proving to be a reality, as joining Aidan Morris on Teesside was compatriots Sebastian Berhalter, Rokas Pukstas, and Max Arfsten, as each will be loving life in the North East right now.
After two years on Teesside, Morris has been joined by compatriots Berhalter, Pukstas, and Arfsten, as Hellberg added an American contingent to his ranks, which has already paid dividends.
Morris failed to find the back of the net in either of his first couple of seasons with Boro, but now has two already this campaign, and after netting his first goal away at Burnley, teammate Arfsten has reacted to the 'USA' chants they have received from the club's supporters.
In an interview with UnderwayPod, when asked what it was like to hear the 'USA' chants, Arfsten said: "Yeah that was super cool. That was his first goal for the club, so that was a really, really big moment for him.
"The USA chants are crazy. Even sometimes, when I take a corner kick, and I'm walking over to pick up the ball, I just start hearing USA chants throughout the whole stadium.
"It is kind of surreal, because I'm in England and everyone's saying USA, so it's cool."
Arfsten, 25, made the move from Ohio to Teesside in the summer for around $7.5 million (£5.6 million) and with one goal in 11 Championship appearances so far, has enjoyed a solid start to life in a new country.
Capable of playing anywhere on the left flank, Arfsten has found himself behind Brazilian defender Neto Borges in the early stages of this campaign, and has more often than not been used as a substitute as a result.
Despite this, Arfsten is still a clear part of the plans at the Riverside, and has contributed greatly to the exceptional vibes coming from the club right now, and if Boro can go on and seal a return to the Premier League after a decade away, he will surely have played a big hand in that success.
What have you made of Max Arfsten's impact at Middlesbrough so far? Share your thoughts below!
Sitting pretty at the top of the table right now, Middlesbrough and head coach Hellberg will have every intention of making sure that is the case come May.
There will be numerous highs and lows along the way, but there is a real feeling around Boro that this year could be their year, and with their American contingent raising spirits around the place, there is no reason they can't go all the way.
Each squad member will play a role in any success that comes their way, including Arfsten, who will no doubt receive a gradual increase in minutes as the campaign goes on.
The 21-capped USA international has more than enough experience of playing at a high level to cope with the pressures, the trials, and tribulations the Championship can produce, and will remain a key component in the Boro squad moving forward.
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