ratings updated 17 Oct 2026
Profile
Season stats
Full career & schedule →Domestic-league season · Middlesbrough.
Performance data · by competition
| Competition | Apps | G | A | Min | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 League Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 7.2 |
Scout report
L. Ayling is a 35-year-old full-back at Middlesbrough, rated 16.7 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 243rd of 272 on scout potential in the Championship. A seasoned veteran, he has been a fringe squad member this season (34.5% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 3.4 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Ayling.
Judged on this season alone, Ayling graded 10 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 32nd of 37 of the 37 full-backs in the Championship, on 1 clean sheet and 3.403 defensive actions per 90.
Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 45 → 10). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2020/21.
On long-term talent our Rating reads 17, 34th of 37 of the 37 full-backs in the Championship. At 35 Ayling is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 2.4 reflects that trajectory.
Past his 2020/21 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.
Output in context · Middlesbrough finished 3rd of 24 · an upper-table side
3.4 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 1 clean sheet across 11 appearances. Behind an upper-table side (3rd of 24) the side controls more games, so the defensive load is lighter — the value sits as much in composure and ball progression as in raw volume. Going forward he chipped in 0 goals and 2 assists — a useful bonus from the back.
Strengths
- Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 0.25 goal involvements per 90, useful for a full-back.
Watch points
- Game time. Only 34.5% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
- Age curve. At 35, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
- Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.
Outlook
With a Rating of 16.7, Ayling carries the 34th-highest potential of the full-backs in the Championship of 37 — though on just 11 appearances this season, so the standing rests on a small sample. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (3.4 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90), with a bit more on the ball than most in the role. Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.6× and falling).
Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.
Season statistics
Bars = where he ranks among full-backs in the Championship with 600+ minutes this season.
Shooting
Passing
Possession
Defending
Yellow/red cards
Transfer news
No transfer news found for this player.
