Middlesbrough can 'get better' as Derby County, Matt Targett twist unfolds | OneFootball

FLW's Middlesbrough fan pundit has had his say on Derby County joining them in the race for Matt Targett

Matt Targett's loan spell at Middlesbrough this past season has almost revitalised the 30-year-old's career.

Injuries scuppered his time at Newcastle United to the point where he'd made just 12 senior appearances in all competitions in the last two seasons at St James' Park.

Therefore, the 46 that Targett made in all competitions at the Riverside has not only proven that he can stay fit for a full year, but it's also shown those in the Championship that the 30-year-old can still play a major part in a promotion-chasing side.

The Newcastle loanee only missed one league game after joining towards the end of the summer transfer window, on Easter Monday against Swansea City, and played every minute of Boro's unsuccessful play-off campaign.

With his contract set to expire at the end of the season, the full-back would be a major pickup on a free transfer for a second-tier outfit looking to break into the newly reformed play-offs next season, or perhaps even push for automatic promotion.

Therefore, it's no real surprise that Derby County, who finished on the fringes of the top six this past term, are looking to rival Boro for his signature, per an exclusive report from Football League World.

Middlesbrough fan pundit "wouldn't be overly bothered" if Matt Targett signed for Derby County

There's no doubting the importance that Targett had in the Middlesbrough squad this season, with the 30-year-old even stepping in as a makeshift centre-back while Kim Hellberg had a slight injury crisis over the Christmas and New Year period.

But, with a chance to retool and rebuild ahead of Hellberg's first full campaign in the Championship, FLW's Boro fan pundit, Liam Day, wouldn't be too disappointed if his side looked elsewhere in the transfer market for a left back.

"I'd be perfectly happy if Targett returned, but I also wouldn't be overly bothered if he didn't," the fan pundit said.

"With his age and wage demands he's likely to demand, I think he's a good player, but we can look for someone fresh. We were linked with Max Arfsten in January, who seems to be a very talented player. We lack a bit of pace, and he seems to have that."

Day doesn't turn down the idea of pursuing Targett as a backup option, as his leadership would be useful. Plus, after a year at the Riverside, he'd know that the goal next year is to improve and right the wrongs of last season.

"As someone to have around the changing rooms, he'd be perfectly fine, and he knows the club and what we want, too," he continued.

"So it wouldn't be the worst signing in the world, but if he went elsewhere, I can't see Boro being very bothered.

"I think you can get better, and something that cost us this season was not having that pace, so as a backup, Targett would be fine, but as a starting left back, if we went elsewhere, I wouldn't be overly bothered."

Matt Targett could be looking for regular gametime next season — Middlesbrough may not offer him that

After playing 46 games in a Boro shirt last season, compared to 47 in the past three and a half years at Newcastle, Targett may likely be looking to continue that trend and remain a first-choice option, almost in a way to catch up on lost time.

With teams such as Derby, who many are tipping as outsiders to make a push towards promotion next season under John Eustace, sniffing around his services, he won't be short of top Championship clubs looking to bring him in.

In the end, it may go down to who has the best offer for him in terms of the role he would be playing, and Middlesbrough may not be able to match what Targett wants.

Kim Hellberg's demanding style of football will see Boro very busy in the transfer market, finding players who fit the physical profile that the Swede demands, a profile that the 30-year-old may not fit.

Targett will go down as one of the more important players in one of the more successful and exciting seasons at the Riverside since they returned to the Championship nine years ago, but he may not be sticking around to see where the club goes next.