Middlesbrough defender Daniel Ayala is refusing to play for the club amid interest from Leeds United, per The Daily Mail.
The centre-back’s contract expires at the end of the month and he has now told Boro that he plans to leave the club upon the end of his deal, thus refusing to stay on until the end of the Championship season.
Leeds are interested in signing the Spaniard, who is reported to be one of the club’s highest-earners, and the Mail claims that Ayala may now be focusing on making a lucrative free transfer to Elland Road.
Boro are currently just two points above the Championship drop zone and will be without Ayala when they take on Swansea City this weekend.
The 29-year-old has made 216 appearances for Boro in total, scoring 23 goals, but it appears that he will now be on his way out of the club.
GIVEMESPORT’S Harry Sherlock says…
This is an open goal for Leeds.
They are clearly interested in bringing Ayala into the club and one has to feel that Director of Football Victor Orta now simply has to make the sums add up to secure one of their summer targets.
A move for the defender would strengthen a backline that could well be playing Premier League football next season and there will be no fee attached to the signing of one of the best players in the Boro squad.
Orta cannot really get this one wrong and one has to assume that Ayala will be playing in white next season.
It remains to be seen, though, if Middlesbrough will be able to avoid the drop without him.