Sam Greenwood may never put on a Leeds United shirt again as Michael Carrick speaks out on permanent Middlesbrough transfer
Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick remains coy on a potential permanent deal for Leeds United loanee Sam Greenwood but all roads could well lead to a multi-million pound exit in January.
Carrick revealed his delight at having the 21-year-old at the club and was full of praise for how he has performed so far, but played down talk of a permanent move materialising just yet.
The Athletic journalist Phil Hay reported on Monday (9 October) that the Teeside giants can exercise the option to buy Greenwood who has a contract at Elland Road until 2026 for just £1.5million.
Speaking to Teesside Live, on 7 November, Carrick was asked if a permanent move was on the cards: “Time will tell on that. At the moment he’s doing well for us and we’re delighted to have him.
“As time goes on, there will be decisions to be made, but at this moment in time, it’s about performances now and I couldn’t ask for any more from him.
“Sam has done well and had a big impact in different ways. He’s good quality and he offers a lot on the ball. His flexibility in that and how hard he works out of possession with his aggression, he gives us an awful lot.
“I think you can see he’s really settled in now.”
Speaking to BBC Teeside on 29 October, as reported by Leeds Live, Greenwood expressed his happiness at Middlesbrough, saying: “We just have to keep going now.
“I’m happy with how things are going for me personally right now, but we’re a proper team here. Rather than looking at it as just about me, it’s more important that we focus on the team.
“For me personally, it is going well and I’m really happy, but I’m just focused on helping the team keep pushing. There’s a lot of hard work going into this run, the way we train etc and the hard work is paying off.”
While there’s a danger in reading too much into the youngster’s comments, there are subtle hints at the changes and transformation he’s enjoying in his new surroundings and it certainly feels like an exit from Elland Road is certainly on the cards in January.
Of course, Carrick cannot make any guarantees right now as he may not want to upset Greenwood’s parent club but given the players’ limited role at Elland Road in the past, it is clear he is desperate for a guarantee on his immediate future.
And Middlesbrough are well within their right to hand it to him after his spell so far at the Riverside Stadium.
The incredibly gifted Whites academy graduate has two goals in ten Championship appearances so far for Boro, and by all means, is enjoying his time in the North-East as he targets the opportunities he didn’t get at Elland Road.
Greenwood still has three years left on his deal which makes the £1.5m demand ridiculous and not exactly good business from the Whites at all, considering he is a highly-rated commodity at Thorp Arch and arguably one of their most gifted academy products.
Middlesbrough could well be about to go out and grab an absolute steal in the market but could also turn out to be an absolute weight and pain on the Leeds United finances, letting go of an extremely talented commodity for next to nothing.
It all seems to suggest that he is not as highly regarded by Daniel Farke as he was with Marsch or Bielsa and the Whites could not be staring down the barrel of another unfortunate, surprise and costly academy exit at Elland Road.
In other Leeds United news, an update has emerged on Patrick Bamford’s future.