Middlesbrough FC transfer priority reveal may have dropped major clues on futures of Boro stars | OneFootball

A report outlining Middlesbrough's summer transfer plans may have offered clues on the futures of Rav van den Berg and Hayden Hackney.

Middlesbrough are facing an important summer after missing out on the Championship play-offs in disappointing fashion.

Middlesbrough sat as high as fifth in the table in early January, but their promotion push collapsed during a poor second half of the season, and a 2-0 defeat at Coventry City on the final day saw them finish in an underwhelming 10th place.

A run of just one win in their final six games ultimately cost Boro a place in the top six, but in truth, much of the damage was done by a horror five-game losing run in January and February, and their dismal away form also contributed significantly to their underachievement.

Head coach Michael Carrick insisted after the defeat at the CBS Arena that he is keen to remain in charge next season, but as FLW exclusively revealed earlier this month, the 43-year-old is facing the threat of the sack, and according to The Northern Echo, club chiefs are currently conducting a "thorough review" of the events of the campaign before rushing into any big decisions.

While Carrick's position is the main topic of debate among supporters, attention is also starting to turn to possible new signings, and a recent reveal about Boro's summer transfer plans may have dropped a few hints about the future of some of the club's key players.

Middlesbrough summer transfer priorities outlined amid Michael Carrick uncertainty

Of course, making a decision on the managerial situation will be the top priority for the Middlesbrough hierarchy over the coming weeks, but such is the efficient way the club is run, the transfer strategy will remain the same, regardless of who is in the dugout.

With that in mind, it seems that planning for the summer window is already well underway in the corridors of power at the Riverside Stadium, and The Northern Echo claim that the Teesside outfit are keen to strengthen at right-back, centre-back, central midfield, in the wide areas and up front.

Given that Boro lost star striker Emmanuel Latte Lath to Atlanta United for a fee of £22.5 million in January, it is no surprise that they are looking to bring in a new number nine this summer, and with loanees Ben Doak and Samuel Iling-Junior returning to their parent clubs, recruiting at least one new winger will be crucial.

However, the fact that a new right-back is thought to be high on Boro's agenda suggests that Anfernee Dijksteel, who made 36 appearances this season, will not be offered a new contract, with his current deal set to expire imminently.

While Dijksteel featured fairly regularly this season, there has long been a feeling that Carrick has never been fully convinced by the 28-year-old, so his potential exit would not come as too much of a shock.

Carrick may be prepared to sanction Dijksteel's departure, but defender Rav van den Berg and midfielder Hayden Hackney are two players he certainly will not want to lose, and the revelation that Boro are targeting a centre-back and midfielder will set alarm bells ringing.

Van den Berg made the move to Middlesbrough from Dutch side PEC Zwolle in the summer of 2023, reportedly turning down interest from the likes of AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Ajax and Juventus in order to join the club, and while his second season on Teesside was not quite as impressive as his first, he has earned plenty of plaudits over the past two years.

Tottenham Hotspur were among the clubs linked with van den Berg last summer, and it appears interest in his services has not gone away, with Crystal Palace said to be considering the 20-year-old as a potential replacement for Marc Guehi.

Hackney has established himself as a crucial part of the Boro first-team after coming through the club's academy, and after another strong campaign in which he scored five goals and provided three assists in 44 games, he was voted Player of the Season by both supporters and his teammates.

The 22-year-old has attracted significant attention since making his breakthrough at the Riverside Stadium, and he was the subject of two bids from Porto in January, the second of which was thought to be in the region of £10 million.

If Boro thought that rejecting those offers would be the end of the story, they may be set for disappointment as the Portuguese outfit are expected to reignite their interest in Hackney this summer, while German side Stuttgart and a number of Premier League clubs are also believed to be keen.

Having sold Latte Lath for big money in January, Boro supporters will be hoping that his exit has helped to balance the books and reduce the need for further departures, but the fact that a centre-back and midfielder are on the club's shopping list suggests that there is a chance that van den Berg and Hackney could both be set to leave this summer.