Boro hot prospect's future in his own hands after 'dream' verdict

George McCormick earned his new Middlesbrough contract after impressing Michael Carrick with his attitude since the summer.

The 19-year-old left-back signed a new deal until 2027 last month, after making his professional debut in the 3-0 Carabao Cup victory over Leeds United in August. He joined up with the senior Boro squad in pre-season, going on the training camp in Portugal, and Carrick felt his has taken the chance to impress.

Whether he moves out on loan in the January transfer window remains to be seen, with Boro weighing up the advantages of getting first-team experience, with his value to the current squad.. But he will remain part of the long-term plan on Teesside.

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“It was a natural thing for us, the right thing to do," Carrick explained. "George has done so well since he come back in the summer. I spoke about him a fair bit but obviously he came back for pre-season, came to Portugal with us and trained really well and took his opportunity really.

"Every single day he gives everything he can. He’s a dream to have around the group. He’s desperate to learn and desperate to do better. It was natural to give him a new contract and see what the next chapter brings.

“He decides what comes next ultimately, like any player, in performances. There is a plan in place. Sometimes that might mean heading out on loan, sometimes that might mean staying around the group, sometimes that will be playing with the under-21s.

"A lot of that is down to timing and performance levels as well. At the minute, nothing can happen until January, so he’s around the first-team squad for training and playing games for the 21s. We’ll then take a decision after that."

Speaking after signing his new deal, Middlesbrough-born McCormick said: “It has been a really good start to the season for me personally and I’m delighted to have now signed a new deal. I’ve been a Season Ticket holder for over 10 years so to make my debut at Leeds and then also make my first appearance in the Championship was incredible.

“There’s no better feeling and hopefully there’s more to come, but it’s up to me to kick on and make sure that happens through hard work. I’m well aware that I’ve done nothing really compared to most of the other players in the squad, so I’ve just got to get my head down and keep working hard.”