Luton Town may already have Alfie Doughty replacement lined up as Middlesbrough monitor situation
Middlesbrough have interest in Alfie Doughty this summer
Luton Town may already have a replacement lined up for potential Middlesbrough target Alfie Doughty.
Boro would be keen to sign Doughty this summer if he becomes available at the right price. The 25-year-old was a star for Rob Edwards’ Hatters promotion-winning side and would considerably strengthen Boro at left wing-back ahead of the new season. His future at Kenilworth Road is uncertain after relegation to League One next term.
Links to Doughty are not just because of the connection with Edwards, however, with the left wing-back a player tracked by Boro recruitment staff long before the new head coach’s arrival. As Teesside Live reported recently though, strengthening the left side of their defence is not considered one of their major priorities this summer, and so Boro would not be willing to overpay for Doughty.
Boro officials will monitor his situation throughout the summer but anticipate that there could be considerable interest if he does leave Luton. After signing a new long-term contract at Luton last summer too, and with the Hatters still in receipt of parachute payments and therefore under no pressure to sell, they could demand a high fee.
Despite that, Doughty could still move on this summer, be that to Boro or elsewhere. Luton will be reluctant to keep the player if he expresses a desire to leave in order to avoid the drop to the third tier next season, having only recently shown his potential in the Premier League with two goals and eight assists.
In anticipation that the 25-year-old may move on, Luton have reportedly already identified a potential replacement. They have been credited with interest in left-back Jamal Lewis, who has been released by Newcastle United this summer and is available on a free. Despite spending the 2023-24 season on loan at rivals Watford, Lewis is from Luton and was in the club’s academy as a child, before leaving to dedicate himself to 800-metre running.
He later returned to football in the academy at Norwich City where he made his breakthrough, and the chance to play as a professional for his boyhood club would likely appeal to the 27-year-old. He was most recently on loan at Brazilian side Sao Paulo last season, but injury restricted him to six appearances.
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Middlesbrough missed out on the top six and the play-off places once again last season, but they have moved into a new era now as they seek to sustain a promotion challenge next year.
Boro have parted company with Michael Carrick after two and a half years in charge at the Riverside, and he has been replaced by former Luton Town boss Rob Edwards.
Following the appointment of Edwards, there are now links suggesting that ‘Boro are interested in signing Luton wing-back Alfie Doughty, who thrived under the management of Edwards.
Middlesbrough should go for Alfie Doughty
Doughty rose to prominence at Luton under Edwards as they gained promotion from the Championship and into the top-flight via the play-offs in the 2022/23 campaign.
The Hatters were relegated on the final day of the 2023/24 season, but Doughty impressed throughout and would likely widely be viewed as a bit of a coup by neutrals should ‘Boro bring him back up to the second-tier.