Why Middlesbrough must hold onto Lewis Wing at all costs
According to Northern Echo, Middlesbrough midfielder Lewis Wing is a target for Championship clubs in the bottom half. Preston North End, Rotherham United and Millwall are all interested in signing the 23-year-old.
The midfielder is fresh from signing a three-year deal in the summer (h/t BBC). Like Dael Fry, Wing has improved leaps and bounds at Middlesbrough this season. He was playing for non-league club Shildon until the summer of 2017 but Wing had adjusted well to the new environment, responsibility and pressure. At 23, he still has a long way to go.
Like Fry, the England U21 centre-back, Lewis Wing is rapidly progressing at Riverside. He is quickly growing into a rising star under Tony Pulis.
A year-and-a-half ago, he was playing in the Northern League. The Newton Aycliffe-born midfielder was influential in Middlesbrough’s run to the Carabao Cup quarterfinals as well.
The 23-year-old scored a stunning long-range winner against Crystal Palace, earning him the EFL Cup’s Player and Goal of the Round awards ahead of the likes of Heung-Min Son and Kevin de Bruyne. However, Wing has struggled to break into Boro’s Championship squad. The defensive midfielder, who can also play as a central midfielder, has been limited to four starts and four substitute appearances so far.
Understandably, there is no shortage of clubs to offer the talented midfielder regular first-team action. It will be interesting to see whether Boro would sanction a move away, even if temporary, for a player who just signed a long-term contract a few months ago.
Middlesbrough are firmly eyeing promotion and Pulis could use a team boasting of squad depth. The gruelling nature of English football second division might need the manager to rotate players to avoid fatigue. It is in such scenarios and in cup runs that squad players like Wing could benefit from.
The young Wing needs minutes to continue his progress. Middlesbrough, as a club, need every resource they can lay their hands on that would give them an advantage in the promotion race. And Lewis Wing is one of those assets.
Boro have a watertight defence but have been struggling to score at the same rate like their direct rivals. Any player who can change games should be a welcome addition.
The cup run aside, Wing has shown, notably against Millwall and Wigan, that he has the ability to change a game. There are six other players who can play his position and the number could increase given Boro’s interest in QPR’s Luke Freeman. However, Lewis Wing should stay up at Middlesbrough at least until the end of the season.
