Middlesbrough: Fresh Isaiah Jones news still may not stop Premier League clubs calling: View | OneFootball

Middlesbrough may have fallen short of a playoff place this season, but there has been plenty to be optimistic about at The Riverside over the course of the campaign.

After starting the season with just two points from a possible 21, Michael Carrick’s side finally kicked into gear with a six-game winning run to get their campaign underway, but were always left playing catch-up after such a torrid start.

The form of Isaiah Jones has been fundamental once again to Boro’s form, as he provides a direct threat from the right flank that many a Championship defender struggles to deal with.

With a summer of speculation about his future likely to follow, plenty of Premier League clubs are sure to be debating whether to make a move for the exciting, dynamic star, who could transform any attacking line with his pace and power.

Isaiah Jones Middlesbrough contract information ahead of summer transfer window

An EFL summer isn’t complete these days without the ongoing rumours of Jones’ future, with the 24-year-old rumoured to be leaving the club for the last two off-seasons.

Manchester United and Crystal Palace are two of the teams reported to have been interested in making a move for the Boro man in the past, after a series of top performances for the Teessiders in the second tier.

This season has been no different for the former St Johnstone loanee, who has ten goal contributions to his name over the course of the campaign, with his latest strike coming in the 4-3 defeat in a humdinger against Leeds United on Monday night.

That performance against Daniel Farke’s side was the latest example of just how terrorising the wide man can be to any defence, with his blistering speed leaving defenders for dead time and time again, with Junior Firpo given a torrid time down the right flank.

Jones signed a new three-year deal with the club last week to keep him at The Riverside until the summer of 2027, but in the current climate the deal isn’t worth the paper it is written on if the right offer comes his and Middlesbrough’s way.

There will once again be plenty of Premier League clubs sniffing around this summer, and all the new deal means is that they will have to stump up some extra cash to lure him away from the north east, rather than him pledging his long-term future to the club.

The exciting prospect said all the right things when the deal was done, but it is hard to believe his head wouldn’t be turned if a top flight club came calling in the next few months.

He said: “I’m really happy to have signed a new deal. It was an easy decision for me and my family. I’m really happy up here, and grateful to have signed the new contract. I still feel young, and I’m just grateful for every opportunity I’ve had, every day since I’ve been here. Long may that continue.

“This season has been up and down, not just for me, but also for the club in general. The amount of injuries we’ve had to deal with is not normal, but if you look at everything the gaffer has done, then I think he’s done an amazing job. He’s done brilliantly just to keep us in contention and talked about for the play-offs.

“In three years’ time, then hopefully me and the club are in the Premier League. That’s the aim. We only marginally missed out last season, and it was disappointing to lose in the play-off semi-finals. Hopefully, we can use that as fuel, and everything that’s happened this season, and go again next year and reach the end goal, which is the Premier League.”

It’s the last comment that really sticks out, with Jones obviously having Premier League ambitions, and he must be debating whether he will ever achieve them while sticking with Boro.

Isaiah Jones may look to Djed Spence as reason to stick with Middlesbrough

When making the decision to remain with Boro, Jones may have looked towards former teammate Djed Spence, who earned a Premier League move to Tottenham Hotspur after helping Nottingham Forest win promotion to the top flight in 2022.

The wing-back was on loan from Boro at the City Ground at the time, and netted the Teessiders an eight-figure fee from the London side, although things haven’t quite worked out since that fairytale move.

With just six substitute appearances for the clubs since making the move to the capital two years ago, Spence has barely been able to make an impact with Spurs, and has faced a period of loan moves away from the club in search of regular football.

A handful of appearances for Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa over the past 18 months is all he has to show for his efforts, with the 23-year-old probably left ruing over the choice to make the leap to the top division so early in his career.

For the minute it looks as if Jones won’t be following that route, but that doesn’t mean plenty of Premier League clubs won’t still be trying their arm over the summer, with one of the EFL’s brightest talents sure to command a hefty fee to lure him away from the north east.