Middlesbrough have reportedly signed non-league starlet Jayden Carbon from Oxford City.
Rob Edwards is expected to make his first few signings as Boro manager.
Middlesbrough have agreed a £3 million deal to sign Hull City centre-back Alfie Jones, while they are still hoping to reach an agreement with Blackburn Rovers for Callum Brittain’s signature.
However, none of those two players appears to be presented at the Riverside Stadium before a promising young striker…
Why did Middlesbrough win the race for Oxford City talent? Jayden Carbon
Middlesbrough is set to sign Jayden Carbon from Oxford City, as first reported by Football Insider on Tuesday evening. According to reports, the 19-year-old is likely to complete his move to Teesside on Wednesday, and Boro appear to have beaten off stiff competition to sign him.
Indeed, Football Insider reported earlier this month that Leicester City and Wrexham were monitoring his progress, with the teenager being compared to Jamie Vardy.
Middlesbrough’s contract for Carbon has also been confirmed by Daily Telegraph writer Mike McGrath, who posted on his X account on Wednesday morning that Boro had acquired his signing.
McGrath’s analysis also provides valuable insight into why the Teessiders were able to secure his services, as well as the club’s prospective plans for him.
He argues that Boro provide Carbon with the best road to first-team play at the Riverside Stadium, implying that it may not be long – or that he will bypass youth team football entirely – before he is featured in Edwards’ senior side.
Middlesbrough will hope that Jayden Carbon can follow in the footsteps of recent Boro non-league success stories
It is easy for fans to dismiss a non-league football signing, but Middlesbrough supporters are well aware of the potential for finding gems in that market.
Isaiah Jones, who joined Boro in 2019 from then-Isthmian South Central Division side Tooting & Mitcham, is perhaps the club’s most recent success story in that regard, along with Sam Folarin.
By January 2025, Jones had made just under 150 appearances for the club before being sold to Luton Town for about £5 million. Before Jones, there was Lewis Wing.
Middlesbrough signed the attacking midfielder from local non-league club Shildon in 2017.
Wing went on to make 92 appearances for the club, scoring 13 goals and giving eight assists before joining Wycombe Wanderers in the 2022 winter transfer window.
| Carbon’s 24/25 National League North stats – per Transfermarkt | ||
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 39 | 5 | 1 |
As a result, Middlesbrough has a very good recent track record of acquiring players from non-league football and developing them into important first-team players.
Could Jayden Carbon be next?
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