Leeds United transfer state of play - January intention and send-off hope for departing hero

A promotion hero and one of Marcelo Bielsa's most important generals, Ayling cut an emotional figure on Sunday as he approached the Whites fans at Peterborough United and received a bear hug from captain Liam Cooper. Speaking after the game manager Daniel Farke played down the significance of those scenes because nothing had to be set in stone with regards to Ayling and a departure from Elland Road.

But with Ayling coming to the end of his contract this summer and the club not minded to renew it, the 32-year-old has found himself in need of gametime that is simply not forthcoming at Leeds. Ayling needs to play in order to win a contract elsewhere for the final few years of a career that is plainly not done yet. Although Ayling started the first seven Championship games of the season and wore the captain's armband in the absence of Cooper, he has started just one of the last 19 league games because Farke has opted for 17-year-old midfielder Archie Gray, or the now departed Djed Spence. Injury niggles have played a minor role in keeping Ayling out, but there have been several occasions in which he has not made the matchday squad despite being fit and healthy.

Spence's exit might have weighed on Leeds' decision making when Boro's interest in Ayling afforded him an opportunity to try and make the most of the second half of this season, but the feeling at the club is that they cannot stand in the way of a man who has given so much to the cause in seven and a half years since signing for £200k from Bristol City. On Monday the terms of the deal were finally agreed and a medical at Boro was booked in for Tuesday morning ahead of a likely evening announcement. The loan to the Riverside is an attractive one for a number of reasons, not least the play-off hopes that linger there and the football Michael Carrick has Boro playing. Ayling's commute to their Rockliffe Park training ground will be under an hour, so he and his family will not need to move. Club sources say the split is very amicable and Leeds hope to be able to afford the popular dressing room figure with a proper send off, as another member of the 2020 promotion group says goodbye.

As for a replacement, there is nothing imminent but Leeds are actively on the hunt for at least one full-back in the January transfer window. The Whites are expecting the traditional domino effect to free up targets who might currenty be deemed unavailable and intend to hold their nerve and bide their time. It was the final days of the summer transfer window that saw them complete the initial transfer business of the 49ers Enterprises era and it would be no surprise to see them remain active until the end of the January market. But with a group of five right-back options cut down to three, one of whom - Sam Byram - is seen by Farke as a left-back and comes with a significant injury risk, the onus is very much on the club's manager and recruitment chiefs to ensure they come out of his month stronger than they went into it.