Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick has refused to rule out a permanent move for Leeds United’s Sam Greenwood.
Carrick was speaking to the Northern Echo after Middlesbrough’s 3-3 draw at Plymouth Argyle on Saturday, a game in which Greenwood was on the scoresheet again.
Greenwood made the season-long-loan switch to the Riverside in the closing stages of the summer transfer window and is really starting to make an impact at his new club.
Having made his first four Boro appearances from the bench, Greenwood has started their last six matches, a run which has coincided a run of excellent form.
The 21-year-old has also managed to score three goals in that period, including the opener in their 4-0 win at Greenwood’s former club Sunderland last month.
Carrick refuses to rule out permanent move for Leeds’ Greenwood
As per Phil Hay, Boro have a £1.5 million option-to-buy Greenwood at the end of his loan spell, a fee which is beginning to look cheap given his recent output.
Speaking on the potential of signing him permanently, Carrick says there is a ‘decision to be made’, but insists only ‘time will tell’.
He said: “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.”
While in hindsight £1.5 million is looking like a poor deal from Leeds’ point of view, at the end of the day he was of little worth to Daniel Farke’s side back in August.
Greenwood had never shown much in the first team to suggest he was worth keeping around, though much of that was down to Jesse Marsch’s mis-use of him.
It is good to see him performing well out on loan and particularly if Leeds are promoted, a permanent move to Boro is probably the best thing for his career.
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