Middlesbrough's top 10 most valuable ex-academy players right now (Ranked) | OneFootball

Middlesbrough will be looking to go one better this season under Michael Carrick, with promotion the goal yet again for his side.

They have improved dramatically under the guidance of the former Manchester United midfielder. Carrick took charge after 16 games in the Championship last season, with Middlesbrough sat in 21st on 17 points, having sacked Chris Wilder.

He turned their fortunes around and took them to 75 points and a fourth-placed finish by the end of the campaign, narrowly falling short in the play-offs after a 1-0 aggregate defeat to Coventry City in the semi-finals.

The summer transfer window will likely dictate whether or not his side can clinch a promotion to the Premier League this season. Middlesbrough have lost key players this summer, with the likes of Ryan Giles, Zack Steffen, Aaron Ramsey, and Cameron Archer all departing to their parent clubs on loan following the conclusion of 2022/23.

Others such as the likes of Marc Bola and Joe Lumley have also left holes in their squad. However, Boro have done well to recruit this summer as well.

Seny Dieng, Morgan Rogers, and Rav van den Berg amongst others have bolstered their ranks in the hopes of another strong campaign under the rein of Carrick.

However, there are a number of young players on Middlesbrough's books who have come through their academy set-up, who will be hoping to be afforded more chances this season in the Championship.

Famously, Leeds have tended to afford their young players opportunities, from Josh Coburn in recent years, to the likes of Stewart Downing and Jonathan Woodgate in the seasons gone by.

The Middlesbrough academy is well-known for producing young talent, and with that in mind, we ranked their top 10 most valuable academy graduates right now.

10 Bailey Peacock-Farrell - €1.00m

Born in nearby Darlington, Peacock-Farrell joined the club in 2006 as a 10-year-old but left the club in 2013 to join Leeds United's youth set up.

The 26-year-old has never played for Boro, but has made a number of EFL appearances for the likes of Leeds, Burnley, and Sheffield Wednesday.

The Northern Ireland first-choice goalkeeper has been contracted to Burnley since 2019 but has been loaned to Danish side AGF for the coming season.

9 Adam Reach - €1.00m

Reach is another product of the academy, but one who managed to appear for the first-team.

The winger joined the club as a boy and made his debut in 2011. The 30-year-old spent various spells out on loan before his sale to Sheffield Wednesday in 2016.

Reach played 77 times for Boro, scoring seven and assisting a further ten. He is currently contracted to Championship rivals West Bromwich Albion, where he has been since leaving Sheffield Wednesday in 2021.

8 Ben Gibson - €2.00m

Gibson joined Middlesbrough's Academy from Marton at the age of 12. The 30-year-old was a member of the academy team that won the Nike Cup in 2008 and signed his first professional contract with the club in July 2010.

He would go on to play over 200 times for the club, some of which were as captain of the club, before a big-money switch to Premier League side Burnley.

That move didn't work out as hoped, but he now plies his trade with Norwich City, who he joined on an initial loan in 2020. The experienced centre-back has racked up a huge number of appearances at second tier level.

7 Hayden Hackney - €2.50m

The first player on the list from Boro's current playing squad, is Hayden Hackney.

After a successful loan spell with Scunthorpe United the season prior, hackney enjoyed a breakout season last year, playing in 35 games in all competitions for the side who finished fourth.

He is currently valued at just €2.50 million, but that should only increase in value this season yet again, as his reputation as one of the best young midfielder's in the Championship continues to grow.

6 Isaiah Jones - €3.50m

Another player who is a current Middlesbrough player, is Isaiah Jones.

After initially breaking through at non-league side Tooting & Mitcham United, Jones was swiftly signed by Boro to join their academy ranks initially.

It wasn't long before the 24-year-old was involved in the first-team, breaking through as either a winger or wing-back, which is where he has been utilised over the course of the last three years.

5 Jason Steele - €4.00m

Steele is now a Premier League goalkeeper plying his trade with Brighton and Hove Albion, but started his career at Middlesbrough.

The 32-year-old joined the club as a boy, but didn't play in the first-team until 2010. He left the club for Blackburn Rovers in 2015 but was soon on the move again to sign for Sunderland.

He has since left for Brighton, where he has mostly been the back up 'keeper, but recently been afforded more opportunities in the top-flight, which explains his value increasing of late.

4 Dael Fry - €4.50m

Born in Middlesbrough, Fry was scouted by the club after being spotted playing for his local side Cleveland Juniors at the age of seven.

He has played for the club ever since, with the exception of a brief loan stint with Rotherham United during the 2016/17 campaign.

The 25-year-old has been a regular fixture for Boro since 2018 and has amassed over 200 appearances for his boyhood side, and captained the team on occasion, too.

3 Nathan Wood - €5.00m

Initially starting his youth career at Stockton Town, Wood joined Middlesbrough in 2015, but would play only 14 times for the side before being snapped up by Swansea City.

Wood is third on the list, and has earnt himself plaudits after joining the Swans last summer and establishing himself as one of the best young centre-backs in the league last season.

The 21-year-old has also had loan spells at Crewe Alexandra and Hibernian previously, and his value should only increase but is currently thought to be around €5.00m, according to Transfermarkt.

2 Djed Spence - €10.00m

Second place belongs to another young star, formerly of the EFL. Djed Spence joined Middlesbrough from Fulham's academy in 2018 and was involved in first-team action not long after.

However, Spence did not have the greatest success with Middlesbrough but made the Championship Team of the Year in 2022 following an incredible season with Nottingham Forest.

That move prompted Tottenham Hotspur to bring him back south to his hometown of London, for a reported fee of close to £20 million; but, the move hasn't worked out as he hoped so far, and Spence spent the second half of last season on loan with Rennes.

1 Marcus Tavernier - €17.00m

The most expensive player currently playing to come from Middlesbrough's academy, is Bournemouth winger Marcus Tavernier.

The 24-year-old joined Boro's academy in 2013 from Newcastle United, and broke through to the first-team in 2017, but became a heavily established player during the 2019/20 season. He would go on to make 155 appearances for Boro, scoring 18 and assisting a further 18 times, too.

After impressing for the side for a number of his last few years in North Yorkshire, he was sold last summer to Premier League side AFC Bournemouth. He scored four and collected five assists for the Cherries last season.