Middlesbrough FC should consider these 3 Matt Clarke replacements as he edges closer to Derby County move | OneFootball

Boro have been dealt a blow to their defence following Clarke's Derby departure, but will Middlesbrough look to replace him this window?

Middlesbrough defender Matt Clarke has signed for Championship rivals Derby County.

The big centre-back has joined the Rams on a permanent deal for the remainder of the 2024/25 season, as Derby look to avoid relegation back to League One.

Clarke's departure leaves Middlesbrough somewhat thin on the ground in their centre-back department, with just Rav van den Berg, Dael Fry and George Edmundson the only natural senior options remaining.

Darragh Lenihan could well be out injured for the rest of the season too, meaning should injuries/suspensions hit the heart of Boro's defence over the coming weeks, Michael Carrick could be faced with a real crisis situation.

Therefore, Football League World has taken a look at three central defenders who the Teessiders could target to cover the Derby-bound Clarke, as we head into the final days of the winter transfer window.

Harry Darling - Swansea City

After joining Swansea City from MK Dons in the summer of 2022, Harry Darling has been establishing himself as a top central defender in the Championship ever since.

Having made over 100 appearances for the Swans over the last couple of years, the 25-year-old has become a popular figure at the Swansea.com Stadium, but he may be about to call time on his spell with the Jacks.

Darling is out of contract with Swansea at the end of the season, meaning this winter window could be the final chance for the club to receive a transfer fee for their star defender ahead of potentially losing him for free in the summer.

Sheffield United are reported to be interested in signing Darling before the window slams shut, and if Middlesbrough are intent on replacing Clarke this winter too, then they could spot a potential bargain for the proven Championship performer.

A highly comfortable ball-playing centre-back, Darling is also a real threat in attack too, having scored two goals and provided three assists in 28 Championship appearances so far this season.

Kaelan Casey - West Ham United

Middlesbrough's recruitment philosophy has very much shifted towards the identification, signing, and development of young players in the Kieran Scott-Carrick era.

One young centre-back who is very highly thought of, both at his parent club, West Ham United, and across English football, is 20-year-old Kaelan Casey.

The England youth international has been with the Hammers since the age of five, and made his senior debut for the club in a Europa Conference League tie with Steaua Bucharest in November 2022.

Having captained West Ham's Under-21s, Casey would be handed his Premier League debut on the final day of the 2023/24 season, coming off the bench late on to replace Angelo Ogbonna in a 3-1 home win over Luton Town.

So far this season, however, he has been handed just one minute of top flight football, and as such, a loan move away to seek regular senior football could be a highly beneficial decision to make at this stage of his career.

Standing comfortably over six-feet tall, Casey is a strong, athletic and powerful defender, who appears to have a nice blend of old-school, no-nonsense traits, whilst also possessing the much-desired ability in the modern era to play with the ball at his feet.

So highly is he thought of, he's even drawn comparisons to the likes of Martin Keown and Terry Butcher. Casey is clearly a young defender with a lot of talent and potential, and handing him the opportunity to seek more regular playing time with a club like Middlesbrough could help his development massively.

Nathan Wood - Southampton

With time running out ahead of the 3 February transfer deadline, Middlesbrough will need to move quickly should they wish to sign Clarke's replacement this winter.

Therefore, a loan move for Southampton centre-back Nathan Wood could make a lot of sense for the Teessiders. The Ingleby Barwick-born defender signed a professional contract with Boro in 2018, and would become the club's youngest ever player at 16 years and 72 days when appearing in a League Cup tie vs Notts County that same year.

He would make 14 total appearances for Middlesbrough until the summer of 2022, when he signed a permanent deal with Swansea City. He would impress during his two years with the Swans, before earning a £3m move to Premier League Southampton last summer.

However, the 22-year-old has struggled to carve out a major role with the Saints so far this season, having made just eight Premier League appearances and a further four across the FA Cup and League Cup respectively.

As such, with Southampton appearing destined for a return to Championship football next season, Wood could be looking to take himself out of what must be a frustrating situation at St. Mary's to seek regular football elsewhere for the remainder of the season.

With Wood being a local lad, and having developed through Middlesbrough's academy and into the first team, a Riverside return would surely be one of significant appeal to the young defender, as he looks to get his career back on track.

Wood is a player that many of Boro's coaching staff will be familiar with, and he fits the profile of a ball-playing defender that Carrick so desires.