Development revealed on Ben Doak, Liverpool clause at Middlesbrough | OneFootball

Michael Carrick has outlined the clause in Ben Doak's Middlesbrough loan agreement with Liverpool.

The recall clause in Ben Doak’s Middlesbrough loan agreement has a cut-off point for Liverpool to activate it, according to Michael Carrick.

As relayed via The Northern Echo, Boro's boss revealed the details regarding the 19-year-old's future. Doak has scored twice and registered six assists in his first 22 appearances in the league for Boro. Doak has been a breath of fresh air in the Championship this season, and they have enjoyed his incredible talents since he joined on loan in the summer.

His fine form for both Boro and Scotland has landed him a chance to earn Premier League football this month. Some of the latest reports suggest the Reds are open to selling Doak but that it could cost up to £30 million. One of the most interested sides has been Crystal Palace during this month.

He was first linked with a move to Selhurst Park via The Sun, with the Eagles prepared to make a move for the player if they miss out on Lyon's Rayan Cherki, which could pose a problem for Boro. Rob Dorsett of Sky Sports then reported that Ipswich were also considering an offer, with Palace expected to bid over £20 million to land the winger.

Nothing has materialised thus far, with both Brentford and Fulham also said to be monitoring Doak's situation, but no reports of any official bids from either of these two clubs has surfaced as of yet.

Ben Doak's recall clause outlined by Michael Carrick

As confirmed by Michael Carrick in The Northern Echo, there is a cut-off point in the agreement with Liverpool for Doak after he signed a season-long loan deal, but the arrangement contains a clause that enables the winger’s parent club to recall him this month.

The clause does not apply to the whole of the month, and it is understood if Liverpool were to recall Doak, they would have to do so at least a week or so ahead of deadline day. That news comes after it had been stated they reportedly set a £30 million asking price amid fresh interest from Bournemouth.

According to a report from Alan Nixon, they have now overtaken Crystal Palace in the race to recruit the winger. However, a new report from The i Paper also revealed that it's their understanding that Bournemouth do not hold an interest in Doak at this stage, whilst also revealing that they would have no interest in entertaining offers that include a Doak and Antoine Semenyo swap deal.​​​​​​​

The Athletic report that Liverpool are very satisfied with Doak's progression at Middlesbrough this term, and their preference is for him to complete the full duration of the 2024/25 Championship campaign in the North East unless they receive improved offers.

Graeme Bailey has revealed that whilst Boro are ‘desperate’ to keep the attacker for the rest of the season, they are unsurprisingly not in the mix to sign Doak permanently this month. However, if they wait until the summer, the Teesside outfit will join the race to recruit the wide player again if they go up.

Losing Ben Doak would be a blow to Middlesbrough's promotion credentials

Middlesbrough turned heads when they completed the deadline day loan signing of Doak last summer, and the Liverpool prodigy has vindicated the hype tenfold this term. The 'never fall in love with a loan player' point of view will certainly be on the minds of Boro supporters, as the news of interest continues to concern the Boro faithful that a key player could be off mid-season.

Few can deny just how impressive the winger has been over the course of the last few months, and he has quickly established himself as one of the most dangerous players in the division, with his pace and dribbling often exciting to watch.

If the unthinkable does happen, it could be disastrous for Boro, as replacing him in the middle of the season will be an incredibly difficult task. The gifted prospect is electric when isolated one-v-one against opposition full-backs, many of whom have struggled to prevent him from wreaking havoc; he will be sorely missed if he does depart, as he can be a real differential in the final third.