Double £6m+ Middlesbrough deal can kick-start Michael Carrick promotion train: View | OneFootball

Highlights

Michael Carrick's second season in charge of Middlesbrough has arguably failed to live up to expectations.

The former Manchester United midfielder has been in charge at the Riverside Stadium since October 2022, and in his first season with Boro, he masterminded a fantastic fourth-placed finish. However, his side would fail to beat Coventry over two legs in the Championship play-off semi-finals and not get to battle it out for a place in the Premier League.

Fast-forward almost twelve months and the side from North Yorkshire find themselves all but out of the race for seventh, the final spot for the playoffs, after a disappointing season where progress has failed to be made.

However, two transfer deals that have been completed over the span of this season may just be the boost that can provide Michael Carrick's side with promotion next time out.

Finn Azaz and Emmanuel Latte Lath transfers

The signings of Finn Azaz and Emmanuel Latte Lath are the two aforementioned deals that we at FLW believe can spur on a promotion push for Middlesbrough and Carrick.

In July of last year, Latte Lath signed from Italian side Atalanta on a four-year deal, for a reported €5m, having scored 16 goals in 34 games while on loan at Swiss outfit St Gallen in the season before.

The signing of Azaz didn't occur until the January transfer window, as after impressing on-loan at Plymouth Argyle from Aston Villa, Carrick pursued and captured the attacking midfielder on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee. While on loan at The Pilgrims over one and a half seasons, he racked up an impressive 15 goals in 57 appearances along with 13 assists.

Middlesbrough a transformed team

Before the signing of Irishman Azaz, it is fair to say Latte Lath was struggling, and with that, Middlesbrough were failing their own, as well as their fans', expectations.

While being relied upon as the sole number nine up front, he had to deal with constant rotation behind him. In Carricks 4-2-3-1 setup, the likes of Isaiah Jones, Matt Crooks, Morgan Rogers, Samuel Silvera and Sam Greenwood have all played in the three behind Latte Lath.

For a striker, this often meant getting a different type of service each game, and having to do your best with it. Before January and Azaz's arrival, this resulted in the Ivorian netting seven goals, but having no consistency as he was having to deal with rotation behind him almost every game.

However, since Azaz came over from Aston Villa, the form of the side has changed. Apart from a dip in February, the side have put on impressive displays and gained important results, including a current unbeaten streak of nine games, and beating Premier League club Chelsea 1-0 in their first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.

Additionally, Latte Lath has hit form too, being supplied by the outrageously good form of Azaz. In the aforementioned unbeaten streak, he hasn't gone over two games without scoring a goal.

Meanwhile, Azaz has put up impressive numbers too. While two goals and three assists look a little poor from attacking midfield, his all-round game is certainly eye-opening and looks promising for Carrick ahead of next season.

According to FotMob, Azaz is winning 73.3% of his tackles per 90 minutes while playing in a more attacking role, as well as blocking 0.88 shots per game. His possession recoveries in the final third read well too, with 0.63 per game, meaning he has adjusted brilliantly to Carrick's high pressing system.

A repeat of 22/23 is on the cards for 24/25

When looking back on Middlesbrough's season in 2022/23, there was so much to be in awe of. Firstly, the way Carrick formed his Boro team in his first permanent managerial position since stepping in as caretaker at Manchester United was mightily impressive.

He had to inherit a squad that he did not create, and yet transformed them from a Chris Wilder team playing defensive, five-across-the-backline-football, into a sensible, high-pressing, 4-2-3-1 team.

He also managed to get a tune out of younger players who weren't impressing too much under Wilder. Players such as Riley McGree, Cameron Archer and Chuba Akpom all blossomed under Carrick and carried the team forward, after having not impressed too much under Wilder, with Akpom being perhaps the most disappointing.

Before Carrick arrived, the once hot prospect had not lit up the Championship as much as many had expected him to. However, under the Englishman, and playing in a deeper number ten role, similar to Azaz now, he had his best season in front of goal, netting 28 times.

It could be said then, that with a full season of playing together under Carrick's tutelage, the duo of Azaz and Latte Lath could become another, and maybe even better, version of Akpom and Archer, and drive on a promotion charge for Carrick's team.