How latest Middlesbrough transfer update can lead to Premier League promotion for Michael Carrick The latest transfer update coming out of Middlesbrough will be music to the ears of Michael Carrick. Since their latest relegation to the Championship at the end of the 2016/17 season,
Middlesbrough have struggled to make any real progress in their push for promotion. The North East outfit have largely focused on short-term solutions to long-term problems both on and off the field. On the manager front, figures like Tony Pulis and Neil Warnock have graced the Middlesbrough dugout with Steve Gibson clearly looking for a quick fix to his club’s issues. As was to be expected, neither of these managers stayed at Boro for long,
leaving the Teessiders without any real long-term vision. Much to the joy of the Middlesbrough faithful, however, Gibson has now seemingly realized there is no quick fix when it comes to building a side good enough to secure promotion from England’s second tier. Middlesbrough looking to build long-term success under Michael Carrick The first step Boro took towards building a viable long-term plan was appointing former Norwich City Sporting Director Kieran Scott as Head of Football in 2021. With an experienced figurehead now in place behind the scenes,
Boro’s attention turned toward the dugout. Middlesbrough’s last successful manager was Aitor Karanka. The Spaniard, who worked closely with Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, had no prior experience as a boss but was afforded an opportunity by Boro and very much delivered, taking a side languishing in midtable and making them into play-off finalists in less than a year. Now, the North East outfit are looking to repeat that trick with Michael Carrick,
whose only prior stint as a manager saw him take temporary charge of Manchester United for three games. Much like Karanka, though, Carrick’s success at the Riverside was almost instantaneous. Middlesbrough finished 4th in the league during the former midfielder’s first season at the club before losing in the playoffs to Coventry City. Kieran Scott outlines Middlesbrough Premier League promotion ambition & transfer strategy This past season was less fruitful, with the Teessiders only managing an 8th-place finish in the Championship. However, Kieran Scott recently reaffirmed both he and Michael Carrick’s desire to secure promotion with the club: “But in terms of ambition, I can assure you,
there is still a burning ambition to win promotion,” he said. “We attracted Michael to the job because of that. Everything he achieved in his career, he hasn’t just come here to just sit in the Championship. I certainly haven’t come here for that either.” One of the main reasons for Boro failing to make the playoffs last term was their depleted squad.
Top-scorer Chuba Akpom was sold to Ajax, while loanees such as Cameron Archer, Ryan Giles and Jacob Ramsey all returned to their parent clubs during the summer of 2023. Boro have since learned from their mistakes when it comes to signing loan players, however. Scott confirmed earlier this month that while the club will continue to utilise the loan market, they will instead focus on bringing in players who could, realistically,
join Boro on permanent deals down the line: “You can still loan, but we have to be smarter than loaning everyone’s best young players who have five years left on their deals and you’re never going to get them after that,” Scott said earlier this month. “Luke Ayling, he was coming to the end of his contract, we knew we could sign him, there was an end-game there. Sam Greenwood, we had an option there. “Luke Thomas we could have done a similar situation. Lewis O’Brien was desperate to stay but that was difficult (financially). There are a couple this year we’re looking at. There could be a couple of loans but there’ll be a future with them.”
