Middlesbrough should be pleased with the business they conducted during the summer of 2024.
Boro’s 2023/24 campaign ended in heartbreak, finishing just four points outside of the play-off places.
This was despite the fact Middlesbrough lost just one of their last 12 Championship fixtures in 2023/24.
To avoid a similar fate in the current season, Head of Football Kieran Scott worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure Michael Carrick had as strong a squad as possible to fight for promotion this term.
Barring a new goalkeeper, the Teessiders have strengthened in every position over the last few months.
Luke Ayling, George Edmundson, Harley Hunt and Neto Borges have all added quality depth across the backline.
Aidan Morris has been praised after dominating in midfield following his transfer from the MLS.
Further forward, meanwhile, Middlesbrough now have a plethora of fresh attacking options at their disposal.
Tommy Conway, Delano Burgzorg, Micah Hamilton and Ben Doak all arrived at the Riverside Stadium in the most recent transfer window.
What Kieran Scott did well at Middlesbrough this summer
The verdict on Middlesbrough’s summer transfer window has been largely positive from pundits and fans alike.
As well as improving in a variety of positions, Boro were able to keep hold of all their big names.
Emmanuel Latte Lath had summer transfer interest along with Hayden Hackney and Rav van den Berg.
But the Teessiders were able to ensure all their top stars remained at the club until at least January.
Now, speaking on The Championship Chat podcast, journalist George Smith has praised Middlesbrough for signing ‘quality over quantity’ in the most recent window.
He said: “Middlesbrough had a really good transfer window, they didn’t need to do a lot in great honesty because they did a lot of their recruitment last summer and that’s probably why they got off to a slower start last year.
“I think that it [new signings] ticks a lot of boxes and then in order for them to have had a really good window, you need to look at who they’ve kept hold.
“They retained all their key players. They’ve not brought in loads but they didn’t need loads and what they have brought in is quality over quantity this summer, having probably slightly gone the other way last year because they did need to replace all the loan players that they had.”
- READ MORE: Jonathan Woodgate played surprising role in Ben Doak move from Liverpool to Middlesbrough
Why Steve Gibson must keep hold of Kieran Scott
Given his pedigree in the game and how well he has performed at Boro so far, there is always a chance that a Premier League club will poach Carrick at some point in the near future.
Losing the former Manchester United star would be a massive blow as he has been superb at Middlesbrough so far.
However, it could be argued that Scott is equally as important to the Reds right now.
The North East outfit’s recruitment over the years has been pretty poor at times, with it clear players were brought in who did not fit what the manager at the time wanted.
Since Scott’s arrival though, Middlesbrough have been excellent at identifying the right signings who can have a long-term impact at the club and who, most importantly, will work well under Carrick.
Should Steve Gibson allow another club to lure Scott away, Boro may revert back to their old habits of recruiting poorly and not building for the future.