Ipswich Town recalled George Edmundson from his Boro loan on Tuesday afternoon.
After Ipswich Town recalled George Edmundson from his loan on Tuesday, Michael Carrick has stated that Middlesbrough will try to re-sign him this month if a deal is viable. Edmundson impressed during his first half-season loan at Boro. So much so that Boro attempted to reach an agreement with the Tractor Boys to sign the defender permanently this month.
However, with no fee negotiated and a deadline to activate a loan recall clause this week, Ipswich decided to recall the 27-year-old.That’s despite the fact that the centre-back is out of contract in the summer, ineligible to join any other club this month because he’s already played for Ipswich and Boro this season, and appears to be out of head coach Kieran McKenna’s plans.
When asked about Edmundson’s departure from Boro and whether they could still work out a deal to bring him back to the Riverside before the transfer window closed, Carrick said: “We knew it was a possibility. We didn’t know when it would come.
“The ball was in their court in that situation. What happens next remains to be seen. It hasn’t been long, so we’ll see what happens next. It is something we will definitely look into. George has done well, but it must be appropriate for all parties, so we’ll see how that goes.”
The recall decision will be disappointing for the defender, who has struggled for playing time at Portman Road over the last two seasons. He made 21 appearances for Boro in the first half of the season and was expected to be a key figure in the final stretch.
The fact that the Ipswich judgement came on Tuesday afternoon, just hours before Boro’s critical Championship game against top-six rivals West Brom, exacerbated the situation. In Edmundson’s absence, Boro won 2-0.
When asked if he was frustrated by Ipswich’s decision so close to a match, the Boro manager responded: “We were aware of it and knew it was a possibility. Many loans have a cutoff point prior to the deadline.
“We knew it was a possibility before tonight, and we planned for the game accordingly, so it didn’t have a significant impact on preparation. We knew it was possible, therefore he wouldn’t start tonight’s game just in case. It’s what it is. Sometimes you have complete control, and sometimes you don’t, so you have to adjust.”
Edmundson would be understandably frustrated by Ipswich’s decision, given how well he’d settled on Teesside and been a crucial player for Boro, both on the pitch and in the dressing room.
When questioned about Edmundson’s thoughts and whether he would want to sign for Boro this month, Carrick replied, “He enjoyed it. I believe it is inappropriate for me to talk for George, but he has enjoyed his time here, has played a lot of football, and has played an essential role in what we have accomplished. It has been a valuable experience for him.
“I’ve spoken with him since it happened. Again, I can’t speak for him in terms of his feelings about the decision, but he had a really nice experience here, and we’ll have to see what happens next.”
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