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“He can play in my opinion in three positions,” said Ronald Koeman.

It’s the end of August and the Southampton boss is talking about Gaston Ramirez.

More to the point he’s talking about why he was keen to keep hold of Ramirez, even though the £12m man wasn’t getting a look in at the time.

He wasn’t just talking about his quality, he was talking about the options he offered.

“The left wing position, the right wing position and as a No.10 behind the striker with a lot of freedom which he needs.”

Koeman continued: “He’s a player like (Dusan) Tadic, you can’t stay wide and keep wide, they need movement, they need freedom to play.

“The problem is he wasn’t 100% (fit) and now little by little he will be, then he will start playing.”

Ramirez, for one reason or another, never did start playing - hence Koeman’s decision to allow him to move on this month.

But credit to the player himself for showing a desire to get a move as opposed to being content with sitting on the bench and watching his bank balance bulge.

Now, though, he’s got to re-start a stuttering career and, presumably, his best chance of that happening is if he gets that “freedom” which Koeman speaks of at Boro.

Freedom on the pitch doesn’t come easy in the Championship. Just ask Stewart Downing. Boro’s pass master and chance creator has had company in his last two outings, hardly being able to find a yard for himself with first Korey Smith and then Michael Mancienne allocated the task of following his every move.

So what does the signing of Ramirez mean for Downing? Nudged back out to the flank? Or, as Koeman suggests he’s comfortable in such a position, will the new arrival play wide?

And what about Cristhian Stuani? Will the addition of his countryman lead to an opportunity to impress up-top?

Ramirez in the middle

It is, it seems, where Ramirez is most comfortable - though it was playing off the left where he first caught the eye at Bologna.

Slowly but surely he was shuffled inside, though, and it was his form in that much-discussed No.10 role which led Southampton to make their move.

Aitor Karanka revealed last week that was hopeful of adding a No.10 - an indicator, perhaps, as to where we can expect Ramirez to start.

But what does that mean for Stewart Downing? After all, it was in a central role where the former England international had pundits pouring out the plaudits in his direction for West Ham United last season.

And that’s where he wants to play. He said as much in an interview earlier this season.

Yet Downing will find himself back on the left if Ramirez occupies that central role.

The 31-year-old is still capable of causing all sorts of problems down that side, of course, and there isn’t a right-back in the Championship who would look forward to 90 minutes against an ex-international and the rampaging George Friend.

And it solves the left sided problem. With Wildschut gone and Muzzy Carayol and Adam Reach looking increasingly likely to follow him out of the exit door on a permanent deal, Boro have been left short on that side.

That shortage, ironically enough, has allowed Albert Adomah to enjoy his best run of form in a while in a Boro shirt playing on the flank opposite to his usual home.

But Adomah’s gut instinct to cut inside with the ball on his stronger foot when he’s in possession shows he’s not a natural left-sider.

Carlos de Pena is but doesn’t look ready.

Downing is. And there has been a growing clamour from the stands for him to be moved back to the position in which he burst onto the scene for Boro all those years ago, particularly in the aftermath of his frustrating outings against Bristol City and Nottingham Forest.

But is he wasted on the flank? It was in the centre where he reinvented himself under Big Sam for the Hammers after a difficult period at Liverpool.

The same question applies to a different player: Cristhian Stuani.

Would moving Downing to the left and Adomah to the right allow the Uruguayan striker to play as, well, a striker?

Read more Where should Ramirez play for Boro? Pick your preferred starting XI

Ramirez on the left

Unlikely, it seems, but it would allow Downing to remain in that central role.

More to the point, it would allow Downing to stay in that central role but wouldn’t necessarily enforce a square pegs in round holes situation elsewhere.

In the second half against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, Boro had Adomah (a right winger) on the left, Forshaw (a central midfielder) in the No.10 role and Stuani (a striker) on the right.

Perhaps it’s the inclusion of players who are ‘doing a job’ as opposed to being naturals in those wide positions which has allowed the last two opponents to spare a man and stick him on Downing.

If Ramirez hits the ground running then opposing defenders will have not one but two attacking midfielders with Premier League class to take care of.

And the Uruguayan on the left would allow Adomah to move back to his natural side and to establish a partnership with Emilio Nsue like he has done with George Friend in recent weeks.

Unlikely for the new signing to start on the left, yes. But it wouldn’t be without its merits.

Although, as Koeman points out, Ramirez isn’t the type of wideman who’d hug the touchline. His preference would be to drift inside.

And he’d quickly find out that Karanka demands more than just an eye-catching final ball from his widemen; they must also come with the willingness to track back and support the defence.

Ramirez on the right

If Ramirez on the left seems an unlikely prospect then it may well be implausible to argue for him to start on the right.

But that’s not to say he can’t drift there during a game as the three behind the striker look to baffle the opposition with a regular switch of who is where.

We saw it at the start of the season: Downing starting on the left but quickly moving into the middle before briefly swapping flanks and spending time on the right wing.

It’s become less of an occurrence in recent weeks but if Boro were to start with Adomah, Downing and Ramirez, then, once again, it allows the flank exchanges, the dangermen to pass back and forth which, in turn, would puzzle the perplexed opposition. At least that would be the plan.

While he may well roam to the right, Ramirez is unlikely to start there.

poll loading Where would you like to see Ramirez play for Boro? 0+ VOTES SO FAR Left wing Right wing No.10 role

So what does it mean for the strikers?

Cristhian Stuani remains Boro’s top scorer yet the vast majority of his 10 goals have come from the right side of midfield.

With David Nugent and Kike struggling for goals, will the arrival of Ramirez allow Stuani to thrive up top?

Karanka certainly has the options now to nudge Stuani forward and, if Ramirez does play in the No.10 role behind his countryman, there’s the prospect of the pair - who will know each other’s game from the international scene - linking up and getting the best out of each other.

(Image: Getty Images)

That, you’d imagine would leave Downing and Adomah to occupy the wide slots.

But what about Kike Sola? Aitor Karanka made a point of stating that the Spaniard is equally at home playing off the striker as he is up front.

Will the arrival of Ramirez have any impact on how many opportunities he’ll get to impress.

That said, the current strikers in the ranks are probably more mindful of the reports linking Boro with moves for Ross McCormack, Jordan Rhodes and Patrick Bamford which won’t go away.

One new player, plenty of new options.