Middlesbrough are keen on acquiring the services of Aston Villa attacking sensation Lewis Dobbin this summer.
Middlesbrough are eyeing a summer move for Aston Villa winger Lewis Dobbin, according to a report from Football Insider, as the EFL Championship club look to strengthen their squad ahead of the new season by signing the English forward, who impressed in the 2025/26 season.
The second-division outfit are understood to be working on a deal for the 23-year-old attacker, who enjoyed a highly productive season on loan at Preston North End and has emerged as one of the most sought-after young forwards in the second tier.
Boro’s interest comes as the club continue their pursuit of promotion after narrowly missing out on a return to the top flight after losing the play-off final after a top-six finish last season. The versatile winger featured regularly for Preston and delivered the best numbers of his professional career, scoring 10 goals and registering eight assists in 39 Championship appearances.
He was the only Preston player with 10 or more goals and also had the most assists for them. His performances have attracted attention from several clubs across the division. After progressing through Everton’s youth ranks, he moved to Aston Villa in the summer of 2024.
The Championship outfit view Dobbin as a player capable of adding pace, creativity and goals to their frontline. The winger’s versatility, ability to operate as a wide attacker or centrally as a striker, increases his appeal to clubs seeking attacking reinforcements.
Middlesbrough are plotting a raid on Aston Villa
Club officials see him as an ideal fit for their long-term plans as they attempt to build a squad capable of securing promotion. Breaking into Aston Villa’s first team has proven difficult, given the competition for places under Unai Emery.
As a result, Dobbin has spent much of his Villa career out on loan, gaining valuable experience with West Bromwich Albion, Norwich City, and most recently Preston North End. Those temporary moves appear to have accelerated his development, particularly his latest spell, where he established himself as one of the Championship’s most productive attacking players.
Whether Aston Villa are prepared to part ways with Dobbin permanently remains to be seen. With the winger still under contract and coming off the best season of his career, Villa may yet decide he has a role to play in their future plans. Middlesbrough are pushing ahead with their pursuit, hoping to win the race for one of the Championship’s standout young attacking talents before the start of the new season.
