Martin Payero Middlesbrough update emerges | OneFootball

With Martin Payero's loan spell at Boca Juniors set to come to an end in just a matter of hours, his Middlesbrough future has once again come to attention.

Indeed, with Boca not set to activate their option to purchase Payero permanently, which would have cost them a reported fee of just over £4 million, the assumption was that the Argentinian midfielder would now return to Middlesbrough for pre-season.

That, though, may not be the case after all.

What is the latest update on Martin Payero's future at Middlesbrough?

That is according to an update on Payero's situation given by TeessideLive.

Their outlet reports that Payero will not return immediately to pre-season, with it always likely that he would be offered a break at the end of his Boca loan spell with the Argentine season ongoing.

TeessideLive speculate that this break could potentially be used for Middlesbrough and Boca to perhaps re-negotiate a lower fee for Payero.

As above, they had the option to make his stay permanent, but did not want to do the deal at the pre-agreed price.

Middlesbrough are presumably keen on a permanent exit for the midfielder, though, due to his contract situation, and it is reported that the club are not expected to sanction any further loan deals due to said contract situation.

How long does Martin Payero have left on his Middlesbrough contract?

Having signed for the club in the summer of 2021, Martin Payero put pen to paper on three-year deal at the Riverside Stadium.

This means that his Middlesbrough contract is due to expire in the summer of 2024, meaning he is just about to enter his last 12 months on the club's books, barring a remarkable turnaround.

Should Middlesbrough sell Martin Payero this summer?

If Boca officially decide not to take up their option to purchase Martin Payero, given that he has one year left on his contract, one assumes that he will eventually return to Middlesbrough.

However, for all parties, it may be best that a deal to keep him away from the football club is agreed in the meantime and the player is sold.

Things did not work out for Payero at the club previously and whilst he hasn't lit his loan spell in Argentina alight, he has done okay.

With one-year left, the player seemingly has no long-term future at the Riverside Stadium, and his return would surely only prove disruptive to Michael Carrick's pre-season if that is the case.

The best-case scenario seems that Middlesbrough cut their losses and move on from what has to be seen as a mistake in the transfer market back in 2021.