The new head coach of Middlesbrough, Rob Edwards, will guide the team into a crucial summer transfer window at Riverside Stadium.
The 42-year-old is taking his first steps back into management with Boro after his resignation from Luton Town in early January of this year.
| Edwards’ Luton Town career record – per Transfermarkt | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | Wins | Draws | Defeats | Points per game |
| 103 | 33 | 23 | ||
Michael Carrick’s team easily missed their Premier League promotion target after finishing 10th in the Championship the previous season, which undoubtedly played a significant role in the club’s decision to fire him earlier this month.
Once Edwards has put his feet under the table at the Riverside, he will have a significant task on his hands selecting where and how he wants to enhance his team, and which heads need to roll in order to accommodate any new arrivals.
“Where would he fit?” Three players from Middlesbrough warned Rob Edwards about his transfer.
According to Phil Auton, our Middlesbrough supporter, Rob Edwards will have a busy summer hiring as the new Boro manager.
Exits will have to take place to make that possible. Who, in your opinion, is most likely to fall outside of Edwards’ goals, and why?
Auton stated: “I believe Delano Burgzorg is the first person that springs to mind. “He’s a bit of a luxury player, the kind you love to have when you’re ahead 3-0 and he’s dribbling past opponents, but he doesn’t always put in a shift when it counts.
Michael Carrick shifted him to the right, which didn’t really work, but he plays on the left wing, so it might be doing him a little bit of harm.
I’m not really sure how Edwards would fit into that considering his reputation for playing wing-backs, three at the back, and then wing-backs on each side, along with what you would call our other’standard’ central midfielders.
Riley McGree would be the other one, in my opinion. This is based on his fitness and lack of appearances from the previous season. In their recent World Cup qualifying matches, he performed admirably for Australia and provided a fantastic assist against Japan.
“He’s similar in that he plays in that sort of inverted left role and isn’t really a central midfielder or winger, and again, with Edwards playing wing-backs, I’m not sure where he would fit in.
Luke Ayling would most likely be the other one. I believe Ayling, who was among the greatest in the league five or six years ago, would have been excellent if Edwards had been a wing-back. I’m not sure if he could play that role because his legs are definitely gone.
We have plenty of center backs, so if we pushed him into the middle to play in a back three, you’d be kind of hurting one of the other players. “So, I’d say Ayling would probably be another one that would maybe struggle to get in.”
It might be challenging for Middlesbrough to let go of Ayling, McGree, and Burgzorg this summer.
Middlesbrough had a very dismal 2024–25 season, as neither Burgzorg, McGree, or Ayling made the kind of effect they had hoped for.
However, for a variety of reasons, Boro might find it challenging to let go of these three players this summer.
Starting with McGree, the 26-year-old Australian international has had difficulty staying healthy over the previous two seasons. In 2023–2024 he made just 26 appearances across all competitions, and this past season he made just 18.
Importantly, Boro would only be willing to pay a premium price for the midfield player this summer because he has a contract with the Riverside that expires in the summer of 2028. As a result, there might not be a surge in interest.
The Dutch winger, who just signed a four-year contract with Middlesbrough last summer after leaving Mainz, is now at Burgzorg.
Clubs are unlikely to rush to sign the 26-year-old this summer after he scored six goals and provided two assists in 44 appearances during his first season with the team. Next up comes Ayling, who is 33 years old and definitely approaching the end of his career.
The former Leeds United player had a difficult 2024–2025 season, and with only 12 months left on his deal, Middlesbrough will undoubtedly have a difficult time selling him to another team this summer for a transfer fee when he becomes a free agent the following summer.
As a result, even though Edwards’ approach might not immediately suit these three Boro players, the club might find it difficult to let them go this summer if that is their desire.
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