Jonny Howson is out of contract at the end of the season.
Michael Carrick refused to be drawn on Jonny Howson’s Middlesbrough future after Saturday’s draw with Norwich City, insisting all focus must be on achieving the team’s goals for now.
Howson will turn 37 next month and is out of contract at the end of the current season. Despite a campaign of injury frustration, he returned to action last month and has proven a key player since – retaining his role in the team centre-back even as more natural options have returned from their own injury setbacks.
Boro still have a chance of making the play-offs when they head to Coventry City on Saturday for their final game of the regular season – and what could be Howson’s last game for the club. It follows play-off aspirations being severely dented by the goalless draw with Norwich on Saturday.
With that game being Boro’s final home game of the season, the annual lap of appreciation took place after the game. But such are the frustrations with the campaign, most didn’t bother to stay, while many of those who did vented their frustrations towards Carrick and the players.
But there was a moment at the end of the lap where most other players had gone back down the tunnel, while Howson remained on the pitch with his family. In that moment, the boos stopped and those Boro fans who had stayed back began to chant Howson’s name in unison, in respect of his eight-year service to the club.
Asked about the full-time scenes and if there was any update on Howson’s future, Carrick said: “It’s not the time to discuss the futures of individuals. It’s not easy when you have a result like that [to do the lap of appreciation]. But particularly for the lads with young families like Jonny, I think it’s still important for them to feel that on the pitch and show their appreciation.
“It’s been good to have him back. He’s missed a lot of the season. He’s played different positions and he’s been important. We’ll discuss it at the right time and let you know what’s going on. At this moment in time it’s not about individuals.”
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