Anfernee Dijksteel's Middlesbrough future decision after Luke Ayling's permanent transfer

Anfernee Dijskteel's Middlesbrough career is likely to end this summer, with the club open to offers on the right-back following the arrival of Luke Ayling.

The 27-year-old has been at Boro for the last five years and was a regular under previous managers Neil Warnock and Chris Wilder. However, he has struggled for game time under Michael Carrick and has made only 18 league starts across the last two seasons.

After Ayling's arrival on loan from Leeds United in January, Dijksteel would start only one game - and he struggled as Boro lost against Leeds with Ayling unavailable to play against his parent club.

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Now, with Ayling having committed to join Boro on a permanent deal this summer, and with Tommy Smith - who had kept him out for much of the season prior - returning from a long-term injury, Dijksteel finds himself surplus to requirements.

With just 12 months remaining on his contract, Boro are understood to be keen to move the Suriname international on as they plan their summer rebuild. While he'd never be forced out and there would be respect shown for his five years of service to the club, during which he's made 131 appearances, it's ultimately felt that it will be best for all parties if he moves on this summer.

Keen to play first-team football to enhance his international chances after recently switching his allegiance to Suriname, it's likely he will welcome a move too. Dijksteel earned his fourth and fifth cap for the South Americans in the past week.

A versatile defender capable of playing both right-back and centre-back, Dijksteel will surely attract some interest from Championship clubs and perhaps some further afield given that he was a regular in the Wilder Boro side that went on a strong run in the league to only miss out on the play-offs on the final day. In the same season, he started in FA Cup wins over Manchester United and Tottenham.

While he didn't cover himself in glory in his most recent performance against Leeds, it was his first start since the victory over Huddersfield Town on December 29 and saw him come up against Crysencio Summerville who ended up winning the Championship Player of the Year award.