MICHAEL Carrick told of his delight after Middlesbrough bolstered their backline with the capture of Luke Ayling from Leeds United.

The 32-year-old right-back arrived on loan until the end of the season, when he'll become a free agent with his Leeds contract due to expire.

Ayling - a promotion winner with Leeds - strengthens a Boro defence that has been decimated by injury this season. He's available for this weekend's game at Millwall and, with no recognised right-backs available, the new recruit is in contention to go straight into the side if Carrick opts to play with a flat back four rather than wing-backs.

Ayling - who will the No.12 shirt on Teesside - is the second new arrival of the January window for Boro, who signed Finn Azaz from Aston Villa last week.

"We're delighted to bring Luke to the club," said Carrick.

"He is a player with good experience, he's a promotion winner, and he's played at the highest level.

"He's a terrific character as well and we see him as a great fit for what we have here. He's exactly what we're looking for at the club."

Boro prioritised the addition of a right-back this month, with Carrick short in that department. Tommy Smith is out until the end of the season with an Achilles injury and Anfernee Dijksteel is also currently sidelined.

Rav van den Berg has covered at right-back but is more comfortable and at his best in the heart of the defence, and while Isaiah Jones has impressed as a wing-back in the last couple of games, he wouldn't be comfortable playing right-back in a flat back four.

While Boro have, on the whole, looked to move away from the loan market this season, the recruitment team agreed a temporary signing at right-back was best this month, before longer term decisions are made in the summer.

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Ayling is in the last six months of his contract at Elland Road and has played his last game for Leeds. The defender attained legendary status at the club but has slipped down the pecking order under Daniel Farke this season, and despite cutting short the loan spell of ex-Boro defender Djed Spence, the Leeds boss couldn't promise Ayling regular football in the second half of the season.

Ayling brings vast experience, having played almost 300 games for Leeds during his seven-and-a-half years at Elland Road.

He won promotion under Marcelo Bielsa and was ever-present in Leeds' first season back in the top flight when they finished ninth. He also brings versatility, with experience of playing at centre-half and at wing-back.

Ayling said his goodbyes to Leeds fans at full-time at Peterborough last weekend, after which Farke said: “What he has done for this club and what he has done for this group is amazing. I know at the moment quite often the goal scorers or assisters or the younger guys who are in the spotlight are more or less the main focus and they sing their names, but I'm a bit old-fashioned.

“I would sing ‘Luke, Luke, Luke’ for the whole 90 minutes. It’s not a miracle everyone is celebrating him that much and if you get such a reception, although you haven’t played that much in recent weeks or also today you come in just for 20 minutes, I would be also emotionally touched if I'm honest, as a player. I think that's just due to his legendary status.”