Leeds United's Luke Ayling set to become club's first summer signing after 'agreeing terms'

Luke Ayling looks set to become Michael Carrick's first signing of the summer at Middlesbrough. Ayling is approaching the end of his current Leeds United contract and will be available on a free transfer in the summer, bringing an end to his eight-year association with the Whites.

The 32-year-old has already been linked with a number of clubs with Sheffield United rumoured to be interested, while Birmingham City were also mentioned as a possible destination before their relegation from the Championship on the final day of the regular season. Middlesbrough appear to have moved quickly, though, with the Daily Telegraph reporting that Ayling has agreed a deal to join the Teesside club on a permanent basis.

After struggling for opportunities under Daniel Farke, the right-back spent the second half of the Championship season on loan with Middlesbrough and he caught the eye with his impressive performances on the right. Ayling made 19 appearances for Boro and in his final 11 games of the season, he managed to rack up eight assists.

Such form coincided with a run of results in which Boro suffered one defeat in 12 games with their only loss in that time coming against Leeds, a game in which Ayling was ineligible to play in. Boro spent much of the season struggling for consistency in midtable but that form eventually saw them narrowly miss out on a spot in the play-offs and the Leeds man was a key part of it.

As such, the club have moved to make the full-back's loan permanent, with the report insisting Ayling has committed to at least another season in the North East. Ayling spent seven and half seasons with the Whites, joining in 2016 from Bristol City before going on to make 268 appearances.

He wrote his name into club folklore for the role he played in helping the club win promotion to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa and he will go down as something of a modern day legend at Elland Road.

Follow Farke’s side and the latest news with the Yorkshire Evening Post’s free Leeds United email newsletter. Ayling isn't the only man set to put to pen to paper at the Riverside Stadium in the coming weeks with the Telegraph reporting Michael Carrick is on the verge of extending his deal with the club. Carrick has just reached the end of his first full season in charge of Boro and with a year remaining on his current deal, the club are seemingly keen to secure his long-term future amid talk of admiring glances from the Premier League.

It seems as though Boro won’t be acting to make Sam Greenwood’s loan from Leeds permanent though this summer, though. Greenwood spent the entire season at the Riverside Stadium and took to social media earlier this month to thank the club and its supporters.

"A club full of great people! Staff, teammates and supporters thank you for this season,” he wrote. “Full of ups & downs and I’ve loved every minute, time to rest up and recover."

However, it was a comment from Hayden Hackney that seemed to suggest Greenwood’s time at the club had come to an end, with the England U21 star responding: "Gunna miss you bro.”