Michael Carrick has offered perhaps the clearest indication yet that centre-back Paddy McNair could have played his last game for Middlesbrough football club.
McNair had been in good form for the Teesside outfit as they surged up the Championship table, giving fans hope that he may yet sign a new deal at the end of the season. However, he returned back from international duty with a knock and subsequently found his place at the back occupied by midfielder and captain Jonny Howson.
Despite the unorthodox pairing of Matt Clarke and Howson at the heart of the defence, Carrick’s side have conceded just once in the last three games without McNair.
It points to yet another option at centre-back, that next season, (with everyone fit) will also boast talents such as Dael Fry, Darragh Lenihan, and Rav van den Berg. Ironically, McNair excelled in a Boro back three where he was able to step out with the ball, but Howson has proved to be even better in that same ball-playing role.
Jonny Howson a viable option at centre-back
Howson’s comfortable transition in the games against Southampton, Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea City, should not be too much of a surprise to Middlesbrough fans who know just what a consummate professional he is. With football constantly evolving, the need for a hulking, big centre-back is no longer always a necessity in the modern game. A calmness under pressure who can play out from the back is a more precious commodity, especially for a manager like Carrick.
In fact, Carrick even acknowledged in his Swansea pre-match presser, that Howson could be a viable option there as his career progresses.
Carrick said:
“It is going towards that direction (centre-backs playing out from the back) especially the way we like to play and our centre-halves can handle the ball and are comfortable enough to do that.
“I think Jonny just showed experience, what that brings as well, I’ve gone through it myself at times, you get dropped back to centre-half and actually find it quite enjoyable. The game is slightly different, in some ways it is slightly easier, and some other ways it is a little bit more challenging.
“I think he has adapted fantastically well over the last couple of games, he done it last year at Luton and done the same so if and when we need to use him, we know Jonny’s there.”
Middlesbrough salary could be a sticking point in Paddy McNair decision
As many Boro fans will be aware, McNair’s contract is expiring and he will become a free agent in the summer should no new deal be reached.
There is no doubt that McNair is a competent central defender who can also be utilised in other roles, that is not the sticking point here.
The issue the club have, is that McNair is likely to be on a much bigger salary than a number of his defensive counterparts. The fact he had willing suitors in the summer – namely Premier League outfit Luton Town – shows to him that he is still a player in demand, so he will not want to take a cut in his wages. The decision then falls to Carrick and the club as to whether they are prepared to make a substantial offer for a player who is certainly not guaranteed first team football.
The form of Clarke, and the emergence of van den Berg this season would make them heavy favourites for the first eleven for the remainder of this campaign and beyond. You would say that when fit, Fry and Lenihan are ahead of him too. So, although his performances for Middlesbrough have been largely impressive this season, all evidence points to a McNair exit this summer.