Middlesbrough held talks with defender Max Lowe before he agreed a move to fellow Championship side Sheffield Wednesday, according to The Star.
The Teesside outfit have looked to get their business done early in the window, with Luke Ayling completing a permanent move to the Riverside Stadium following a successful loan spell from Leeds United last season. This was followed by the arrival of Dutch striker Delano Burgzorg last week, who joins off the back of a temporary deal at Huddersfield Town from German outfit Mainz.
Michael Carrick is only looking to make tweaks to his squad this summer. It was revealed by The Northern Echo that the 42-year-old will only target a handful of positions, said to include a centre midfielder, a striker and a number 10. A left-back was also said to be on the agenda.
As such, it is no surprise that talks were held with Lowe. The 27-year-old is set to leave Sheffield United upon the end of his contract, which prompted interest from a number of Championship clubs.
After joining the Blades from Derby County in 2020, the versatile full-back struggled for game time in the Premier League last season. However, he did feature regularly in their promotion-winning campaign in 2022/23.
Lowe is a player that has forged out a successful career in the second tier, having also played a role in Nottingham Forest’s play-off success in 2022. Despite talks with Boro, the former Shrewsbury Town loanee opted to cross the steel city divide, joining Sheffield Wednesday after holding positive talks with manager Danny Rohl.
It is believed he has committed to a two-year deal at Hillsborough, with no option to extend.
Writer’s View
This is a blow for Middlesbrough, but not one they will linger on for too long. This is the beauty of trying to get deals done early in the window. Some work out, some don’t, but this leaves them ample time to focus on other targets before the start of the new campaign.
Lowe’s decision to switch Sheffield United for their bitter rivals shows what an attractive proposition they have become under Danny Rohl. The German performed wonders by steering the club to Championship safety last season. Players are keen to work with the 35-year-old, who has emerged as one of the hottest young coaches in European football.
