"Outstayed his welcome" - Middlesbrough FC player tipped for summer transfer departure | OneFootball

Dan Barlaser has struggled to make an impact for Boro this season

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...

FLW's Middlesbrough fan pundit believes that midfielder Dan Barlaser has outstayed his welcome at the Riverside Stadium and needs to leave the club this summer after a move to Derby County failed to materialise in the January window.

Barlaser came through the youth set-up at Newcastle United, and he joined Rotherham United on a permanent deal in 2020 after loan spells with the likes of Crewe Alexandra and Accrington Stanley.

The Gateshead-born midfield man impressed in his four seasons in South Yorkshire to earn a January 2023 switch to Middlesbrough, but he has had a mixed spell on Teesside over the last two years up to now.

Middlesbrough fan pundit offers 'frustrating' Dan Barlaser verdict

Barlaser, who was a youth international for both England and Turkey, featured 12 times for Boro in his first-half season at the club, then played 41 games last term with a key role in their run to the EFL Cup semi-finals.

He has had to settle for a reduction in minutes this season after Michael Carrick added Aidan Morris to his squad last summer. The 28-year-old has made 25 appearances this term, with a goal and an assist to his name, but just 12 Championship starts made so far.

Barlaser's contract on Teesside does not expire for another year yet, but our Boro fan pundit, Jasper Hudson, believes he will have outstayed his welcome if he is still at the club next season, and wants to see him leave for pastures new this summer.

“A player that has probably slightly outstayed his welcome is Dan Barlaser,” Jasper told FLW.

“He’s not a bad player on his day, but has often only played when we’ve had injuries, and therefore the team is weaker, and we struggle more.

“He doesn’t offer you a lot. With Hayden Hackney you get the driving runs and the fancy passes, and with Aidan Morris, again, lots of forward passes, breaking the lines.

“Barlaser is a fairly conservative footballer, not flashy, and he just does the simple things. When the team is struggling, and he’s passing it five yards sideways and backwards and keeping the ball, it’s frustrating.

“It’s never really worked out for him. He’s always just been a back-up and has been forced to play because of injuries.

"He has, sort of, been potentially made a bit of a scapegoat, but he has had some poor performances.

“He’s got some bad set-piece deliveries, and is prone to just giving the ball away when trying to do these long switch passes which he doesn’t really have the ability to do consistently.

“It feels a bit harsh to say he has outstayed his welcome, but I feel like if he stays beyond the summer then he definitely has.

“It’s time for him to move on and get some regular first-team football, and for us to improve our quality in midfield."

Dan Barlaser came close to a Middlesbrough exit in January - a summer one looks likely

Middlesbrough have been inconsistent under Michael Carrick once again this season, but Barlaser has continued to struggle to nail down a starting place as they chase a top-six finish.

The one short period in which he did start a few consecutive games was around January, which coincided with transfer interest from relegation-battling Derby County and probably cost him a move to the East Midlands.

TeessideLive reported in the final week of the winter window that the Rams had made an enquiry to Boro about taking Barlaser on a permanent deal, with then-boss Paul Warne wanting to sign the 28-year-old after their successful stint together at Rotherham.

A few days passed by without any transfer movement, however, and the Northern Echo soon stated on Deadline Day that Michael Carrick was unwilling to let him leave without signing any cover in the middle of the park.

The move never materialised, and despite starting five games from late December to mid-January, he will likely be rueing the failed transfer after playing from the off in just one game since the saga. That sole start was against Watford on February 15, and he only played for the first-half before being taken off for tactical reasons for Delano Burgzorg.

It is fair to say that Barlaser's time at the Riverside Stadium looks to be coming to a natural end this summer. He is still a good age and has something to give in the Championship, but it feels like Boro's aims have surpassed his ability over the last few years.