"Time to move him on" - Middlesbrough fan pundit issues verdict on Paddy McNair contract situation | OneFootball

Highlights

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

The future of Paddy McNair at Middlesbrough is uncertain.

The defender’s contract is set to expire at the end of this season, meaning he could leave for nothing in the summer.

The Northern Ireland international initially signed for the Teesside outfit in the summer of 2018 in a deal worth up to £5 million from rivals Sunderland.

During his time with the club, he has proven himself as a regular feature in the first team squad.

However, he has been in and out of the team under Michael Carrick over the last 12 months, raising doubts over his long-term future at the Riverside.

Paddy McNair’s Middlesbrough future

FLW’s Middlesbrough fan pundit Dana Malt believes that now is the right time to move McNair on and that a departure at the end of the season makes sense.

While she expressed her disappointment that the centre-back will walk away from the club for nothing, she still believes that McNair has proven a successful signing for Boro.

“I think Paddy McNair is one of the few at Boro whose cycle at the club is probably coming to an end,” Malt told Football League World.

“I think he’s been a really good player for us over the years.

“He’s been a solid performer, and he has versatility that has made him dependable when we’ve needed him to be.

“But I just think it’s time to move him on.

“It’s a shame we are likely to lose him on a free because I think, as fans, you always want to see your club pocket a profit for a player.

“But, then again, we have just received a pretty decent up-front fee for Morgan Rogers, so I don’t think finances are dire, let me put it that way.

“I think it’s probably time for Paddy McNair to part, but all in all in he’s been a successful signing for us.”

Middlesbrough league position

According to estimated figures from Capology, McNair is earning £20,000 per week, making him one of the team’s top earners as they fight for promotion to the Premier League.

Carrick’s side is currently 12th in the Championship table, four points adrift of the play-off places.

McNair has made 15 appearances in the second division so far this campaign, including 14 starts.

Next up for Middlesbrough is a home game against Bristol City on 10 February.

McNair’s time at Boro is coming to an end

It looks unlikely that a new contract is going to be agreed with McNair.

An exit from the Riverside seems the most obvious outcome at this stage, with the defender unable to cement himself as a key player under Carrick.

He will need to be replaced in the summer, as he is still a dependable squad player who has provided cover during this injury-hit campaign.

But it is clear that he is very much a secondary option at the moment, so looking to upgrade him ahead of the new season makes sense from Middlesbrough’s perspective.