“A major red flag”: Plymouth Argyle’s transfer target drew a warning from Middlesbrough.
Although a recent victory over Leicester City, who are currently atop the table, raised hopes for improvement, it was tempered by a loss to Plymouth Argyle at home, which has kept Boro in 13th place in the standings.
Additionally, Boro has been linked to a bid for their defender Brendan Galloway, whose contract with the former Everton player expires this summer, following their defeat to the Pilgrims at Riverside Stadium.
Middlesbrough should be wary of Brendan Galloway’s connections. Middlesbrough supporter Dana Malt of FLW thinks stories linking Galloway to Teesside might be the product of an agent trying to secure the 27-year-old a new deal at Home Park after he’s finally recovered from injury.
It has been said that Galloway is the kind of defender who fits Carrick’s style of play, which if true is concerning given his history of injuries. “It is an interesting link, the Galloway one, but it does strike me as a public play from his agent to try and prompt Plymouth into giving him an improved contract, given that he is a free agent in the summer,” Dana said to FLW.
“While I believe there is value in the free agency market, I caution you about this specific relationship. If there’s any truth to it, he’s versatile enough to play both left and center back, which is something I think is crucial when considering a potential Michael Carrick replacement at defensive back.
“However, his injury issues and his injury history would be a major red flag, especially given how problematic injuries have been for us this season.” Move is risky given Galloway’s history of injuries.
Galloway has endured severe injuries since joining Plymouth in 2021, making a move to Middlesbrough—even on a free transfer—a significant danger. Since coming to Home Park, ailments to his knees, hamstrings, and hands have caused Galloway to miss more than 50 games in the past 2.5 years.
The Pilgrims’ medical staff has struggled to find a method to prevent the Zimbabwe international from suffering from so many ailments, as evidenced by the left-back’s mere 60 games played in three seasons.
Brendan Galloway’s Appearances For Plymouth Argyle | |||
Season | Appearances | Starts | Minutes |
2023/24 | 17 | 11 | 1029 |
2022/23 | 18 | 12 | 1222 |
2021/22 | 14 | 12 | 1059 |
Stats Correct As Of February 28, 2024, As Per Transfermarkt |
As Dana notes, Boro’s interest might just be a ruse by Galloway’s representative to generate buzz and persuade Plymouth to extend an offer to him.
Even if he has been playing much more frequently lately and might have finally overcome his injury curse, it is unlikely that the club will want to take any more chances regarding his fitness by giving him a new deal in the summer.
Due to injuries to several important players, including Tommy Smith and Darragh Lenihan, Boro might benefit from having additional bodies in defense. Galloway would also provide more balance, as the team now only has Matt Clarke as a left-footed center-back.
But putting another player on the injured list won’t benefit the team in the long run, which is why Boro’s connection to Galloway doesn’t seem credible at all at this point; he would undoubtedly need to establish himself for a little while longer before Carrick and company would be interested.