Middlesbrough look set for another busy summer transfer window, after what’s become a somewhat null and void season.
Middlesbrough currently find themselves in 13th place of the Championship table, with 14 games of their season left to play.
The campaign started very poorly and Michael Carrick was coming under slight pressure. But, just like last season, he turned it around and quickly brought Boro into top six contention.
One win in five Championship games though has all but canceled out any hopes of a play-off finish this season, with Middlesbrough now 10 points behind Hull City in 6th despite an impressive 2-1 win at Leicester City last time out.
The summer ahead for Middlesbrough
There’s a belief about Middlesbrough despite their inconsistency this season.
Carrick has had a lot of injuries to deal with, and a quiet deadline day which left Middlesbrough without a new striker, and which also saw Morgan Rogers move to Aston Vila, was always going to make the final run-in difficult.
But there’s some good players in the side; Ran van den Berg, Hayden Hackney, and Emmanuel Latte Lath are among those who’ve impressed this season, and with a fully-fit squad, Middlesbrough could really compete.
Then adding few new players in the summer, Boro could be right up there.
One name who could quite easily be on the club’s summer radar already is Lewis O’Brien; the 25-year-old joined on loan from Nottingham Forest last summer but injury has limited him to just 10 Championship appearances for the club.
Why Lewis O’Brien would be a shrewd signing
Carrick has spoken very highly of O’Brien this week, describing him as ‘great’.
The Boro boss has hailed O’Brien’s versatility and willingness to play anywhere needed; which, in a team ravaged by injuries, is always a plus.
Not only that, but in the 10 games where we’ve seen O’Brien in action, he’s shown a lot of quality.
He’s a player who has proven in the past that he can provide at Championship level and having fallen out of favour at parent club Nottingham Forest, he could well be looking for a move this summer.
It was said that Forest preferred a permanent exit for O’Brien last summer but eventually settled on a loan, and given his injury struggles, he could become surplus to requirements in the summer.
But one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
O’Brien’s natural position is in the middle of the park and his tenacious and high-energy style suits Carrick’s style of play very nicely.
He has a strong range of passing and he can be very useful in the transition, being a player who is quick on his feet and able to turn opposition players swiftly, and kickstart attacks.
Whilst Boro look set to strengthen their attacking and defensive departments in the summer, a swoop for O’Brien could tie everything up nicely.