A Middlesbrough player is attracting interest from a number of clubs, including Celtic and Rangers, who have held discussions for the gem.
Middlesbrough failed to make the playoffs in 2023/24, finishing 8th and four points off the top six despite losing just one of their last 11 Championship games.
Boro’s main problem in the previous campaign was Michael Carrick and co. were forced to undergo a large overturn of players.
The Teessiders reached the play-off semi-finals in 2022/23 but lost top-scorer Chuba Akpom to Ajax that summer, while Ryan Giles, Cameron Archer and Aaron Ramsey all returned to their parent clubs following loan spells.
Carrick is likely keen to avoid a similar outflux of key players in the current transfer window but a few exits may be unavoidable.
Paddy McNair has left the club on a free following the expiration of his contract, while Anfernee Dijksteel has been made available for sale and Dan Barlaser is attracting interest from Turkey.
Celtic and Rangers among clubs interested in Middlesbrough gem Ajay Matthews
Now, it appears another Middlesbrough player’s future at the Riverside has been called into question.
The player is Ajay Matthews, one of the latest Middlesbrough academy graduates to make his senior debut for the club.
The 18-year-old scored 16 goals in 17 starts for Middlesbrough’s youth team in 2023/24 and was handed his senior debut by Carrick versus Leeds United on April 22.
Now, the Middlesbrough gem is garnering interest from a number of sides, according to TheSecretScout.
Celtic, Rangers, Southampton, Brighton and Hove Albion, Brentford and Newcastle United are all hopeful of signing the teenager and have held discussions over a transfer.
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Why Middlesbrough should not sell Ajay Matthews
Matthews only has 12 months remaining on his current Middlesbrough contract but Boro should look to tie him down to fresh terms, rather than selling him this summer.
Emmanuel Latte Lath replaced Akpom as the North East outfit’s main number-nine last season, scoring 16 goals in 30 league games.
Outside of Latte Lath, however, the Teessiders are lacking any real depth up front.
Josh Coburn scored just five league goals during an injury-hit 2024/25 season and outside of the 21-year-old, Carrick has few options he can call upon to cover for Latte Lath.
The striker position remains a priority for Middlesbrough in the current transfer window, but Boro should give Matthews a chance in the first-team, instead of wasting money on a new signing.
Whoever Boro look to sign in the striker role will be brought in as a backup option regardless, so why not just promote Matthews?
He is already familiar with the club and has worked with Carrick and the rest of the first team previously, meaning no settling-in period would be required.