Confirmed: Michael Carrick reveals if Middlesbrough FC will sign ex-Premier League player or not | OneFootball

Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick has outlined the club's stance on the potential signing of free agent defender Erik Pieters.

Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick has hinted that the club are unlikely to sign free agent defender Erik Pieters following a short trial period.

Much to the surprise of supporters, Middlesbrough allowed Matt Clarke to join Derby County in January, which left them with just three central defenders for the second half of the season.

Carrick dismissed the need for further defensive reinforcements after Clarke's exit, stating that "we'll be alright", but those words have come back to haunt him in recent weeks, with Rav van den Berg, George Edmundson and Luke Ayling all picking up injuries.

Boro's injury woes increased when their last remaining centre-back, Dael Fry, was forced off in the second half of the 1-0 defeat at Swansea City on Saturday, meaning that midfielder Jonny Howson had to fill in alongside left-back Neto Borges in the centre of defence during the closing stages of the game.

It was revealed last week that former Stoke City, Burnley and West Bromwich Albion defender Pieters, who has been a free agent since leaving Luton Town in January following the expiry of his short-term deal, was training with the Teesside outfit, but it appears that he will not be offered a contract.

Michael Carrick reveals Middlesbrough's Erik Pieters stance

While Carrick did not directly confirm that Middlesbrough would not be signing Pieters, he revealed that the 36-year-old did not train with the club on Monday, suggesting that any deal is unlikely.

"Erik did train with us some days last week. It was something last week," Carrick told The Northern Echo.

"He wasn't in with the group today. It's something that was just ongoing.

"We explored it, we were looking at different things. Erik came with us last week and trained with us."

After he was substituted in the defeat at Swansea, Carrick admitted that he is unsure how long Fry will be sidelined for, but he expressed hope that van den Berg and Edmundson will be able to return after the international break.

"We don’t have an update on Dael yet. We’re still looking at him and assessing where he’s at. We don’t know how long he’s going to be out, so we’ll have to see. We’ll assess that," Carrick said.

"Rav will hopefully be towards the end of the international break, not long after that. We're hoping George is similar."

With Fry, van den Berg, Edmundson and Ayling all unavailable, Carrick will need to field another makeshift defence for the game against Queens Park Rangers at the Riverside Stadium on Tuesday night, and with Boro sitting ninth in the Championship table, six points from the play-off places, it is a crucial game as they look to keep their top six hopes alive.

Middlesbrough are paying the price for Michael Carrick transfer mistake

Of course, Middlesbrough have been incredibly unlucky to pick up so many defensive injuries in such a short space of time, but this was always the potential danger after they left themselves short at centre-back.

If Clarke was not part of his plans, it is understandable that Carrick sanctioned his departure to Derby, but it was a huge mistake not to bring in a replacement, particularly given van den Berg and Fry's injury problems in recent years.

According to Teesside Live, Boro's recruitment team compiled a list of possible centre-back options in January, but Carrick opted against strengthening his defence, and that is a decision he will now surely be regretting.