Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson has once again backed head coach Michael Carrick to assemble a squad capable of winning promotion to the Premier League.
Boro have had multiple promotion near misses since being relegated from the top flight in 2017, but they have yet to go over the line.
However, Gibson has recently reaffirmed his unshakeable desire to see his club return to the big leagues, with Middlesbrough’s 2023/24 financial statements revealing he has written off nearly £135 million in debt while continuing to invest his personal money in the club.
| Player | Signed from | Signed for |
|---|---|---|
| Kelechi Iheanacho | Sevilla | Loan |
| Samuel Iling-Junior | Aston Villa | Loan |
| Mark Travers | Bournemouth | Loan |
| Morgan Whittaker | Plymouth Argyle | £5m + £2.5m add-ons |
| Ryan Giles | Hull City | Loan |
| George Edmundson | Ipswich Town | £600k + add-ons |
With Carrick’s squad now stocked with quality players and sellable assets, the football club’s financial future appears to be bright, but which Boro player earns the most, and is the Middlesbrough manager receiving fair value for his salary?
Football League World researches using Capology numbers, which it is important to note are estimates.
Luke Ayling revealed as Middlesbrough’s highest earning player
Gibson has mostly abandoned the practice of awarding lucrative contracts and imposing exorbitant transfer fees. Middlesbrough’s days of getting Premier League parachute payments are long gone, but the club has also seen very little return on its huge expenditures.
Since the arrival of Kieran Scott as head of football from Norwich City in 2021, the Teessiders have adopted a strategy centered on being as frugal as possible with how and where they spend their money.
Investing in young players with high potential for low fees has become the core of Boro’s recruitment strategy, but they haven’t shied away from adding the occasional veteran campaigner.
One such example is right-back Luke Ayling, who is 33 years old. Boro prioritised his permanent signing on a free transfer in the summer after he put in some highly impressive and impactful performances during a short-term loan spell with the club in the second half of last season.
The former Leeds United defender signed a two-year contract at the Riverside, with Capology reporting that it would make him Middlesbrough’s highest-paid player at £30,000 per week.
Boro are thought to be paying less than half of winter signing Kelechi Iheanacho’s £77,550 per week contract with La Liga club Sevilla. As a result, he might be the player Middlesbrough spends the most money on this season, although there has been no official confirmation of the amount Boro is donating, so that is not guaranteed.
Michael Carrick is not getting good value for money with Luke Ayling’s Middlesbrough performances this season
Unfortunately, Gibson and Carrick have not gotten their money’s worth from Ayling’s contract so far this season, with the seasoned defender struggling to recreate the form that earned him a permanent transfer to the Riverside last season.
In just 19 games in the last months of last season, Ayling provided eight assists, cementing himself as one of Carrick’s most vital offensive outlets despite his defensive role in the club.
However, by the time Middlesbrough’s 3-2 Tees-Wear derby defeat to Sunderland on 3 February marked his 24th appearance of the season in all competitions, he had only two assists.
Not only has Ayling’s offensive game been missing this season, but his defensive displays have also drawn criticism from many Boro fans.
Quick and direct wingers have frequently outperformed him, and a number of costly individual mistakes and errors have resulted in a number of goals conceded being attributed to him.
Not only has Ayling had a difficult season, but Middlesbrough’s defense unit has been primarily responsible for the club’s failure to secure a play-off spot.
However, as the highest-paid player and occasional captain, Carrick and Gibson will undoubtedly have anticipated more from the seasoned defender this season.
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