Middlesbrough have confirmed which players are leaving the club this summer, including Newcastle United loanee Matt Targett
Middlesbrough's Matt Targett
Matt Targett has spend the season on loan at Middlesbrough(Image: Tom Banks)
View Image
Matt Targett has spoken out following confirmation of his Middlesbrough departure in the club's retained list.
The left-back spent the campaign on loan at Boro from Newcastle United, establishing himself as a pivotal figure under manager Kim Hellberg. He racked up 46 appearances in total, netting four goals and contributing four assists.
It proved to be an impressive season for the defender, who had struggled to secure regular first-team football at St James' Park in recent years. He consistently demonstrated his dedication to the cause, filling in out of position during a defensive injury crisis while also battling through his own fitness concerns.
As Boro's campaign concluded in heartbreak at Wembley, Targett's future remains up in the air. He featured in the club's list of departing players as his loan spell draws to a close.
*Get Chronicle Premium now for just £1*HERE– exclusive news and features, our NUFC and Academy notebooks, John Gibson's columns plus an ad-lite experience****
Taking to Instagram shortly after the club's announcement, Targett wrote: "Gutting way for it all to end. Felt like we had a special group of players that had enough to get this club back to the Premier League," reports Teesside Live.
"Massive thank you to the fans that's supported us throughout the season and me personally, it means a lot."
At present, it remains unclear whether Boro will pursue a permanent deal for Targett. He is widely expected to become a free agent this summer, with his Newcastle contract set to expire.
However, with that yet to be officially confirmed by Newcastle, Boro were unable to include any detail regarding potential talks over a permanent arrangement in their retained list.
Targett proved to be an excellent signing at left-back - a position that Boro have found difficult to fill properly since Ryan Giles' initial loan spell ended in 2023.
That said, Boro have maintained a longstanding interest in Columbus Crew and USA international Max Arfsten, while missing out on promotion will affect how closely they can match Targett's salary expectations.
Meanwhile, three players were confirmed to be departing Middlesbrough when their contracts expire on June 30. They were Jon McLaughlin, Marcus Forss and Dan Barlaser. The latter pair spent this campaign out on loan.
Reflecting on his stint at Hibernian as it drew to a close, Barlaser wrote: "I want to thank the club for the opportunity and trust they placed in me. It has been a privilege to represent this team and play in front of such passionate supporters."
Content Image
Content Image
Here at ChronicleLive, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Newcastle United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don't miss out on the latest NUFC news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories.
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Everything is Black and White podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.