23-year-old must be plotting Middlesbrough escape route in 2026 - he's not fancied by Rob Edwards | OneFootball

The playmaker moved to Middlesbrough in 2023

Middlesbrough have been the 2025/26 Championship season’s standout package thus far.

Rob Edwards’ side top the second-tier standings after five matches, having won their first four games consecutively before being held to a 2-2 draw away at Preston North End.

Boro’s competitiveness wasn’t assured going into the new campaign after finishing 10th last term, parting ways with former boss Michael Carrick and waving goodbye to players such as Finn Azaz and Rav Van Den Berg during the transfer window.

But Boro did manage to undertake an exciting summer window by acquiring the likes of Sverre Nypan and David Strelec and new manager Edwards has got his side to click into gear instantly, with operators such as Tommy Conway and Hayden Hackney performing at an extremely high level.

It hasn’t been plain sailing for every member of the North East outfit’s squad though.

Morgan Whittaker was jeered off the pitch against Preston North End after failing to satisfy Boro’s supporters, an act which was instantly condemned by Edwards in his post-match interview.

Alex Gilbert is another member of the Middlesbrough camp who must be questioning where his future lies following the start of the new season.

Alex Gilbert must pursue Middlesbrough exit ASAP

Gilbert signed for Boro in 2023 from Premier League side Brentford and made 12 league appearances during his first term at the Riverside.

The playmaker showed chutes of promise when on the pitch, scoring a goal and providing three assists in that time. However, he failed to build on that output during the first half of last season, which subsequently saw him loaned out to Charlton Athletic for more game time.

Again, Gilbert showed his creative spark with the Addicks, notching four assists in 14 appearances, but he only managed to start three times for Nathan Jones’ side.

Arriving back in the North East this summer, all signs pointed to an exit out of Middlesbrough, with it clear that he wouldn’t have a place in Edwards’ team during the opening stages of the season.

The 23-year-old has made the bench just once this campaign, which was against Doncaster Rovers in the EFL Cup.

However, following the culmination of the transfer window, Gilbert still remains a Boro player.

It’s clear that the attacking midfielder enjoys great talent, but he won’t be able to display that or develop while still at the Riverside.

Therefore, he must try and pursue a move away in January to get his career back on track.

Middlesbrough's Alex Gilbert should target a League One move

Given how few opportunities Gilbert has had to play in the Championship, it is unlikely that any second-tier clubs will be eyeing up a swoop for his services in January.

Instead, some teams in the division below that are lacking creative flair could be the perfect place for the 23-year-old to start playing regular football again.

Despite not starting much for Charlton last term, Gilbert showed that he has the expertise to produce output at that level. Four assists in 14 appearances is a total made more impressive when it includes just three starts.

Therefore, with a continued run in a third-tier side’s starting 11, it isn’t unreasonable to suggest that the playmaker could perform at an even higher level.

There are surely a raft of competitive League One clubs who would love to have a player of Gilbert's promise on their books, and an exit does look likely when the January transfer window rolls around.