Cannon joins: 2 signings Middlesbrough should try make before Swansea match on August 10th | OneFootball

Boro should look to complete these two deals and put a bow on their summer transfer window.

Middlesbrough are looking to be among the Championship's promotion contenders next season, and may just be another signing or two away from having a squad capable of taking their place in the Premier League once again.

Manager Michael Carrick and head of football Kieran Scott have spearheaded a new era of transfer market success on Teesside, having enjoyed multiple fruitful windows that have seen some top talent make their way to the Riverside Stadium.

They appear to have had another strong summer window this time around too, with Luke Ayling, Delano Burgzorg, Aidan Morris and highly-rated teenager Harley Hunt all penning permanent deals with the club.

Boro are expected to make a couple of further additions before the window slams shut at the end of August, and Football League World takes a look at two possible signings that Boro should look to secure before their Championship opener vs Swansea City.

Boro should push for Ryan Giles deal amid Bangura injury news

After returning from their pre-season trip to Portugal, Middlesbrough have been dealt an unexpected injury blow to left-back Alex Bangura, whose Boro career seemingly refuses to get off the ground as a result.

This has thrown his availability for the start of the 2024/25 Championship season into some doubt, and leaves Lukas Engel as Carrick's only senior option at the position.

Academy graduate George McCormick has been hugely impressive throughout Boro's pre-season matches, and appears to be a promising prospect for the future, but the club may well prefer to source him a loan move this summer.

Therefore, the time might be now for Middlesbrough to follow through on their well-reported interest in reuniting with former loan star Ryan Giles, as a concrete offer for the 24-year-old could see things move quickly.

Hull City chairman Acun Ilicali has already stated that should Giles make his desire to join Middlesbrough be known to the club, then he would not stand in his way.

That was swiftly contradicted by the club's vice chief executive Tan Kesler, when he told BBC Humberside via Teesside Live: "I want Ryan to be a part of the leadership group and be proud of this organisation. Be proud of us and take us to the next level. He is capable of doing that."

Comments such as those were clearly intended to send a strong message to Boro that Giles is not a player Hull are looking to sell, but after already seemingly being handed the green light to sign Giles by the Tigers' chairman, the Teessiders shouldn't be put off if they indeed want him.

Bangura's injury woes may force Carrick and Scott back into the transfer market, and they should test Hull's resolve over keeping Giles.

A centre-forward addition has long been reported to be on Middlesbrough's transfer agenda this summer, and Leicester City striker Tom Cannon has been courted by a number of Championship clubs this summer.

Sheffield United, Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion have all been credited as holding a major interest in the 21-year-old, and Boro should be putting themselves among that group of possible suitors as well.

Cannon has been no stranger to links with a move to Teesside either, as Boro were reportedly looking to complete a deal for the then Everton striker last summer.

That failed to materialise, and the Republic of Ireland international joined eventual Championship winners Leicester City instead, but after a season playing a bit-part role at the King Power, he appears to be available again this summer.

Cannon has already proved that he can score consistently at second tier level in the past, having enjoyed an impressive loan spell with Preston North End in 2022/23, in which he bagged eight goals and one assist in 20 league appearances.

The young forward also scored an impressive amount of goals at academy level, with 56 goals in 105 matches in all competitions across various Everton youth sides between 2018/19 - 2022/23 - per FotMob.

Securing a deal for the forward would provide Carrick with another quality striking option alongside Emmanuel Latte Lath, who missed 16 league games last season through injury.

Should the Ivorian international miss a similar amount of time next season, having a player of Cannon's quality to turn to could ensure Middlesbrough's goals don't dry up during that period, and keep a potential promotion season firmly on track.