For a club with aspirations of playing Premier League football in the very near future, the beginning of the 2022/23 campaign has been a considerable disappointment for Middlesbrough.
An underwhelming ten points from their opening ten fixtures leaves the Boro in the relegation places – a long way behind the division’s early pacesetters.
Regardless of whether Middlesbrough set-off on a rapid charge through the Championship table in the months to come, they’ll want to ensure that their best talents stay on Teesside beyond the end of this season.
Here we take a look at the players in the final year of their contracts at the Riverside, and speculate as to whether Chris Wilder will attempt to retain their services past June 2023…
Duncan Watmore
The ex-Sunderland winger signed a one-and-a-half-year contract extension with the club in January 2021, registering 84 appearances with Middlesbrough since his departure from the Stadium of Light. Watmore’s pace, eye for goal, and creativity will be likely something Wilder is keen to keep in his ranks.
But there doesn’t seem to be an option to extend Watmore’s stay.
Chuba Akpom
Akpom was sent out on loan to Greek outfit PAOK last summer, heading back to Thessaloniki a mere twelve months after Boro had originally signed the former-England U21 striker. A solid term in Greece followed, with the Arsenal academy product netting 11 goals, including two in the inaugural Europa Conference League.
He returned with a spring in his step, and immediately earned his place in the Boro starting XI. However, a knee injury in the 2-2 draw against Sheffield United, which saw Akpom bag both goals for his side, has since kept him sidelined. Middlesbrough can opt to trigger a one-year contract extension, keeping Akpom at the club until June 2024 should they wish.
Luke Daniels
This summer’s arrival of Liam Roberts may prove ominous for the former Brentford stopper, with Daniels appearing to have moved further down the Riverside pecking order. The 34-year-old keeper’ has found playing opportunities hard to come by in recent times, amassing just 48 appearances in the last five years following his exit from then League One side Scunthorpe United.
Again, there doesn’t seem to be an option to extend Daniels’ stay.
Darnell Fisher
The full-back is still recovering from a serious knee injury sustained in pre-season last year, with no return to first-team action in short-term sight. Nevertheless, Fisher has shown plenty of potential whilst in Scotland with Celtic and St. Johnstone, and later with fellow Championship competitors Preston North End and Rotherham United, and therefore may be one the club choose to take a punt on, although there seems to be no option to automatically extend his stay.
Jonny Howson
The experienced midfielder shows no sign of slowing down. He opted to extend his stay in Middlesbrough for another year in the summer, five years after initially signing from Norwich City. Howson has been Wilder’s skipper for all ten league matches so far this season, and completed all 90 minutes in nine of these fixtures – therefore don’t be surprised if a new contract is tabled next June.
Tommy Smith
Smith was offered a short-term deal after a successful trial stint in the summer, with the full-back putting pen to paper a mere week after Djed Spence’s move to Spurs. Although Smith has only managed a handful of appearances to press, he affords Boro the opportunity to adjust from a three to a four at the back, and also offers a level of assurance from the bench. Smith’s racked up almost 250 Championship appearances across a 12-year playing career, and is therefore extremely comfortable with the demands of the division.
Smith seemingly signed a one-year deal with no option to extend.
Massimo Luongo
An honourable mention for Massimo Luongo, who signed a three-month contract for Boro at the beginning of the month. The central midfielder certainly has a decent pedigree, with Spurs, Queens Park Rangers, and Sheffield Wednesday all having been former employers of the talented Aussie. However, the Socceroos international is yet to feature in a Middlesbrough shirt, having not made it off the bench in his opening two fixtures against Cardiff City and Rotherham United.
There’s no reports of Middlesbrough having an option to extend the midfielder’s stay automatically.
