"Pivotal" - Middlesbrough FC: Finn Azaz transfer claim ahead of January | OneFootball

When asked which of Michael Carrick's squad would be the most damaging to the team if sold this winter, FLW's Boro fan pundit identified Finn Azaz.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Middlesbrough find themselves deeply involved in the play-off conversation, with current top-six status that will hopefully come to fruition come May.

Boro's current spell in the Championship is in its eighth year, having been relegated from the Premier League in 2017.

In that time, the Teessiders have reached the play-offs just twice, crashing out in the semi-finals on both occasions.

If top-flight football is to return to North Yorkshire, while transfers may be hard to come by, the impressive current crop must remain intact at the very least.

Finn Azaz 'would be irreplaceable' says pundit

When asked which of Michael Carrick's squad would be the most damaging to the team if sold this winter, FLW's Middlesbrough fan pundit, Jasper Hudson, identified Finn Azaz as the paramount non-negotiable.

"The key player at the club who just can't be sold for me is Finn Azaz. His creativity is so vital to us, in the way we play, and the way we score goals.

"We don't keep plenty of clean sheets, we give up chances, but we always score goals, and we've seen it when he's not played through injury or illness we aren't as good.

"We don't create as much, he is so pivotal to us and his ability is just top-end of the Championship. To lose that I think would be irreplaceable, especially in January.

"If he went I think the performance of the whole front line, which is one of our best attributes, would go down. I think it would be really hard to replace him.

"Fortunately I don't think there would be massive interest. There are other players that teams seem more keen on, but with eight goals and six assists, he is imperative for us to be able to attack the way we do, and continue to be successful for that."

Hudson is confident that Finn Azaz will not be on the radar of top-flight clubs this January.

While it seems bizarre that one of the league's top talents would not be at huge risk of being tempted elsewhere, there is some basis to this.

Having only signed in January, to the tune of a four-and-a-half year deal, Azaz' still has over 40 months left on his Boro contract, meaning his acquisition would not be cheap.

With several stand-out Championship talents in similar positions, for the sake of finance, he may be one to ignore.

Finn Azaz is the key to Boro's attacking force

The 24-year-old Ireland international has seen a steady rise up the Football League throughout his short career.

Having experienced promotion from both League Two and League One, with Cheltenham and Plymouth respectively, he will be praying he completes the trifecta this spring.

With 14 goal-involvements so far, he is the second-highest contributor in the division, behind only Borja Sainz (17).

To lose such a talismanic figure at the mid-point of an oh-so-promising campaign would undoubtedly deflate the attack immeasurably.