"It's a tough one to assess" - Burnley, Leeds and Sheffield Utd keen on Middlesbrough player: The verdict | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

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Middlesbrough's Paddy McNair is a man in demand this summer, it seems, with several clubs chasing the Northern Irishman's signature.

That is according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, who claim that a host of clubs in both the Premier League are keen on the 28-year-old.

All three newly-promoted Premier League sides are said to be interested in his services, for example, with Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United all looking at options to strengthen their squad ahead of the season.

Other top flight clubs potentially keen, according to the report, are Fulham and Bournemouth. Meanwhile, Championship duo Leeds United and Leicester City are also keeping tabs on the 28-year-old.

Should Middlesbrough sell Paddy McNair this summer?

Considering the tremendous amount of links above, clearly Middlesbrough's resolve to keep hold of McNair this summer is set to be tested.

With that in mind, it got us thinking about whether or not the club should look to keep McNair this summer, or indeed, move him on.

Below, our FLW writers have offered their opinion.

It's a tough one to assess, I think.

Although McNair is arguably not as important as he has been at the Riverside Stadium in the past, last season, he still featured relatively heavily, making 30 league appearances during the 22/23 campaign.

That being said, there are other factors to consider this summer when it comes to his future.

First of all, his contract expires next summer, and if Middlesbrough and Michael Carrick do not see him as part of their long-term plans and worthy of a new deal, then they should look to cash in.

Furthermore, in Dael Fry, Darragh Lenihan, Matt Clarke and summer arrival Rav van den Berg, Boro have a lot of options at centre-half, and you wonder where McNair ranks in that order when everyone is fit.

McNair has been a good, reliable option for the club over the last five years since his arrival in 2018, but if a good offer comes in this summer, I'd be surprised if Middlesbrough did not cash in.

Chris Gallagher

I think it's time for McNair to move on.

He has been a very good player for Boro over the years, but he wasn't at his best last season, and he's not a hugely influential figure under Carrick.

Ultimately, when a player enters the final year of his contract, you have to make a decision. Do you push the boat out to keep them with a long-term deal? Or is it time to accept an offer?

In this instance, I think taking a fee is the right move. McNair could benefit from a fresh challenge, whilst Boro can reduce their wage bill, and use the funds brought in to sign someone else that may be more suited to Carrick's style.