MK Dons have signed Sam Silvera on a free transfer after the winger was released by Middlesbrough at the end of last season.
The 25-year-old arrives as the club continue to build for their first season in League One since the 2022-23 campaign. He is their sixth signing of the summer and brings a mix of pace, direct running and experience from his time in the Championship.
What Silvera brings to MK Dons
Silvera spent three seasons at Middlesbrough and made 65 appearances for the club, scoring eight goals. At the beginning of the 2025-26 season, he was a first-choice player under Rob Edwards before a foot injury in February interrupted his progress.
MK Dons manager Paul Warne said Silvera was a target throughout the summer and described him as a quick player who likes to take people on while adding more competition along the front line. Warne also said the feedback from Silvera's former team-mates was positive.
International background
Silvera is also an Australian international with eight caps. He was named in the Socceroos' World Cup squad earlier this summer, although he was left out of the final 26-man group. For MK Dons, that background adds another layer to a signing that already looks useful on paper: a player with senior experience, mobility and room to re-establish himself after a disrupted spell at Middlesbrough.
The move gives MK Dons another attacking option as they prepare for a fresh start in League One, and it offers Silvera a chance to reset his career with regular minutes and a clear role.
