Trio of loanees to go but Boro want Ayling
MIDDLESBROUGH have decided against signing Sam Greenwood, Lewis O’Brien and Luke Thomas permanently this summer, with Luke Ayling the only loan man currently anticipated to be back at the Riverside next season.
Boro have been planning for the upcoming summer transfer window and have been finalising such plans in recent weeks as their campaign came to an end. With an aim to win promotion next season, they have identified areas they wish to strengthen and targets to go after for each of those areas, with none of Greenwood, O’Brien or Thomas currently factored into that planning. Greenwood has spent the season at Boro on loan from Leeds United.
Inserted into that deal was a £1.5 million purchase option, but an agreement might have proved complicated if the Whites win promotion to the Premier League, with the 22-year-old then due a pay rise.
However, regardless of Leeds’ fate in the upcoming play-offs, Boro have made a final decision to not pursue a permanent move this summer.
Greenwood managed five goals and three assists in 39 appearances for Boro this season and showed flashes of his potential quality – including his Goal of the Season winning free-kick against Leicester City.
But his form dipped in the New Year and he didn’t make quite as big an impact as he would have liked.
Boro are instead planning to work towards alternative forward options this summer to compete with Isaiah Jones, Marcus Forss, Finn Azaz, Riley McGree, Alex Gilbert and Sammy Silvera.
At this stage, it’s likely they will look to sign one new forward to complement their existing options.
It’s a similar situation with O’Brien, as things stand, with Boro likely to sign one midfielder this summer, but currently looking elsewhere having identified alternative targets for the role.
They still hope to keep Hayden Hackney next season despite Premier League interest, and have Dan Barlaser and Jonny Howson also contracted, while 17-year-old Law McCabe impressed on the final day of the season in his full debut.
O’Brien was seen as a major signing for Boro last summer, having proven himself one of the best midfielders in the division two years ago at Huddersfield Town before his move to Nottingham Forest.
After a frustrating year at the City Ground, he moved to Boro determined to get his career back on track.
Unfortunately, the 25-yearold suffered a ruptured Achilles in just his sixth appearance for the club and would miss five months of action before returning.
Taking time to get up to speed, he ended the campaign in strong form, but Boro’s current planning for next season does not include O’Brien.
Luke Thomas, who arrived in January to cover Alex Bangura’s long-term injury, will also depart the club this summer and return to Leicester having failed to impress.
But Boro are known to be working on a deal to sign Ayling.
He is available on a free when his Leeds contract expires at the end of June and as well as Michael Carrick admitting the club are trying to sign him permanently, Ayling himself said he wants to return to Teesside and believes an agreement is quite close.