Luke Ayling, born on 25 August 1991 (age 35), is an English right-back with Middlesbrough. A steady, experienced defender rather than a headline act, he has built his career on durability and regular first-team football.
His most productive league season came at Bristol City in 2014-15, when he scored four goals in 46 appearances. For a full-back, that was a useful return, but the more telling detail was the workload. Ayling was plainly trusted to get through the week-to-week business.
He now wears squad number 12 at Middlesbrough. In 2026-27, he has made eight appearances across all competitions, including two in the league, one in the FA Cup, two in the League Cup and three in the Championship play-offs.
His current market value is around £298,000, according to Transfermarkt. Ayling’s career has been that of a solid English full-back: reliable enough to stay involved, experienced enough to know the job, and still part of the Middlesbrough squad picture.
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