Michael Carrick should build the spine of his Middlesbrough team around three players for the 2024/25 season.
Middlesbrough will be once again searching for a return to the Premier League in the 2024/25 season.
Boro were last relegated to the Championship at the end of 2016/17 and have struggled to mount a meaningful promotion push in the following years.
The club came close in 2022/23 when Michael Carrick guided them to a fourth-place finish before losing in the play-off semi-finals.
The Teessiders then lost several key players, including Chuba Akpom and Ryan Giles, in the summer of 2023.
This hampered Boro’s ability to challenge for promotion in the previous campaign, with an eighth-place finish the best Carrick could do.
However, Boro have, so far, been able to maintain the services of all of their key players from last season, suggesting there will be no big overhaul in 2024.
Middlesbrough’s 2024/25 Championship fixture list was also released last week and the club have an ‘easy’ start to the campaign, which should allow them to pick up plenty of points early on.
So, with that in mind, here are three players Carrick should build the spine of his side around next season.
Rav van den Berg
Rav van den Berg has the potential to be one of Middlesbrough’s greatest-ever signings.
2023/24 was the centre-back’s first season in England but the 19-year-old put in countless displays well beyond his years.
The teenager was named Middlesbrough’s Player of the Year in 2023/24 and has been backed to play Champions League football in the future.
While Van den Berg was excellent for Boro last term, injury issues forced Carrick to deploy the youngster at right-back on several occasions.
This is not his natural position but now Luke Ayling has joined the club permanently, the Dutchman should be able to start as a centre-back on a more consistent basis this term.
The towering stopper has already begun to form an excellent partnership with Dael Fry and as Boro fans are well aware from their 2015/16 promotion-winning season, a solid defence is crucial to Championship success.
Hayden Hackney
As already mentioned, Middlesbrough’s 2023/24 season was derailed by injury issues.
One of the many players impacted by this was central midfielder, Hayden Hackney.
Hackney had a superb start to the campaign but ended up playing just 21 league games thanks to several injury problems.
When fit, Hackney was a pivotal part of Carrick’s system, progressing play well and pushing up the field to create openings for his teammates.
The 22-year-old caught the eye of neutral fans when he scored the only goal in Boro’s 1-0 League Cup win over Chelsea.
This display seemingly garnered the attention of some top clubs, with the midfielder attracting interest from unnamed Premier League sides.
However, now Hackney is back fit, Middlesbrough should do everything in their power to keep hold of him this summer and build their midfield around him – as they were doing before his injuries last term.
Emmanuel Latte Lath
Part of the reason Middlesbrough struggled for so many years was their lack of a proper goalscorer.
Akpom was that man in 2022/23, hitting 29 goals in all competitions. But he was sold to Ajax that summer and Boro had to replace him.
The man chosen to fill the boots of Middlesbrough’s star striker was Ivory Coast international, Emmanuel Latte Lath.
Moving from Atalanta BC, Latte Lath took some time to adapt to English football but found his feet toward the end of the season.
The 25-year-old scored 11 in the Teessiders’ last 12 Championship games of 2023/24.
It is no coincidence Boro lost just one of those 12 games and Carrick must now ensure his attack is set up to get the most out of Latte Lath in the forthcoming campaign.