Luke Ayling has rejected interest from across the Championship to join Middlesbrough permanently this summer and the former Leeds United man insists the decision was “stupid”.
Ayling was released by Leeds when his contract expired last month and the right-back spent an incredible eight years at the club. But he has spent the last six months of those eight years away from West Yorkshire, with the 32-year-old joining Championship rivals Middlesbrough on a limited basis under Daniel Farke in January.
More regular football was the reason for Ayling’s temporary exit and more regular football is what he got, starting 19 league games and only missing the trip to Elland Road because he wasn’t fit. He proved to be an excellent mid-season signing for Boro and earned rave reviews from manager Michael Carrick, registering eight assists for his temporary club.
This meant that come the summer, there were clubs left, namely Sheffield United, who were believed to be keen on the defender, who has proved more than capable at Championship level. But it was just the offer he wanted, and when it came, there was no choice.
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“I talked about it when I first re-signed, other clubs sniffed about it, but for me to be a part of something here at a club that looks up instead of down, it was simple,” Ayling told the Northern Echo.
“It’s a young coaching staff and a young team and I’m proud to be a part of it and hopefully I can bring my experience to a young team to contribute to that. The aim is to start this season well and then ‘let’s see where it takes us’ . The season is long, so we can’t afford to get carried away.
“There has to be a lot of hard work in the pre-season and there we tried to find the kind of form we had last year. We can’t just come on August 10 and think that it will just click at the end of last season, we have to make it happen. We are happy where we are.”
Ayling will be able to face Leeds next season and he won’t have to wait too long either. Middlesbrough travel to Elland Road in three weeks time having been drawn against the Whites in the first round of the Carabao Cup. They return to West Yorkshire in October before the return leg at the Riverside Stadium after the New Year.
🚨NEWS :In a recent interview, Luke Ayling shared his thoughts on the straightforward decision to join Middlesbrough following his exit from Leeds United
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