Middlesbrough must dip back into the 2024 summer transfer market to strengthen this position ahead of 2024/25.
Michael Carrick is currently undertaking his second pre-season as Middlesbrough manager.
The former Manchester United midfielder saw his side beat Bolton Wanderers 3-0 last weekend to kick off their preparation for the 2024/25 Championship season.
Boro then traveled to Gateshead on Wednesday evening and came away with a 1-0 win at the Gateshead International Stadium.
All three of Middlesbrough’s 2024 summer transfer signings were in action on Wednesday.
Aidan Morris earned high praise from one pundit during his 30-minute outing against the North East outfit.
So far, Middlesbrough have strengthened at right-back, in midfield in on the left wing.
Boro News understands Middlesbrough are looking at the foreign market to further improve out wide this window.
However, after Wednesday’s game, the Teessiders should look to add depth to another area of the pitch.
Jonny Howson starts at centre-back for Middlesbrough vs Gateshead
Dael Fry missed the Gateshead friendly due to injury and was also absent for Boro’s final 16 games of 2023/24 with a different issue.
Fry missing out forced Carrick to deploy 36-year-old Jonny Howson as a centre-back on Wednesday.
Howson has always been a consistent player for Middlesbrough and did a decent job against Gateshead.
However, if the Teessiders are to make a proper promotion push in 2024/25, they cannot rely on Howson to fill in at centre-back.
Middlesbrough should sign another centre-back
Middlesbrough currently have four senior centre-back options; Fry, Matt Clarke, Rav van den Berg, and Darragh Lenihan.
Four centre-backs for two positions may seem like enough but Carrick being forced to play Howson out of position shows it is not.
Boro’s limited options at right-back at present mean Rav van den Berg will likely have to start there at some point in the coming campaign as he did in 2023/24.
Lenihan is also fairly injury-prone, featuring just eight times during the previous season.
This, along with Fry’s absence versus Gateshead, should highlight to Middlesbrough that they need to add further depth in the centre of defence this summer.
If they do not and Fry, Leninhan, or Tommy Smith continue to struggle with injuries, it could greatly hamper their promotion chances.