Middlesbrough may be forced to dip into the summer transfer market for a right-back.
Luke Ayling has been in stellar form since arriving on Teesside on loan from fellow Championship outfit Leeds United.
Ayling has been one of Middlesbrough‘s most consistent performers and has laid on a whopping five assists in his last nine Championship games.
His fine form has led Sheffield United to sniff around for his services this summer, with ex-Boro boss Chris Wilder keen on adding him to his squad.
The veteran defender is expected to be available on a free transfer at the end of his Leeds contract in June, so he won’t be short of suitors.
If Middlesbrough arent able to secure his signature on a permanent basis, here are three replacements the club should look at.
Ethan Laird – Birmingham City
Now, Birmingham City only signed Ethan Laird from Manchester United last summer but they currently reside in the bottom three and are at huge risk of suffering relegation to League One.
If that does happen, the West Midlanders will need to move players on and Laird will likely be one of the first to depart.
Middlesbrough should capitalise on that and land his signature for a discounted fee, which would represent fantastic business.
Laird is only 22 and still has plenty of time to develop into the player United fans thought he’d become during his academy days at Carrington.
James Bree – Southampton
If Southampton gain promotion to the Premier League, James Bree could become available as Kyle Walker-Peters would be expected to stay.
Boro should be all over his signature having impressed over the last few weeks under Russell Martin following a slow start to his Saints career.
The 26-year-old has had to bide his time this term but is now showing his Luton Town form on the south coast and looks every inch of a top-end Championship player.
With a Transfermarkt value of £1.8m, it seems like a pretty feasible deal to do as well.
Emil Krafth – Newcastle United
Emil Krafth has been a solid servant for Newcastle United, making 79 appearances for the Premier League outfit.
Krafth, who has been capped 46 times by Sweden, has only started three top-flight games this term and may be pushing for more football in the summer.
He’s out of contract next year and could be available for a reasonable fee, as he has a Transfermarkt value of £2.1m.
The 29-year-old would be a solid acquisition for Boro and they could certainly do a lot worse.