Matt Clarke development: How Middlesbrough's dream 2025 January transfer window may look | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at what Boro's dream winter window may look like.

Middlesbrough enjoyed a strong summer transfer window, that saw a number of quality additions being made to Michael Carrick's squad and numerous key players retained.

Aidan Morris, Tommy Conway and Micah Hamilton all secured permanent transfers to the Riverside Stadium, whilst Boro also secured a double Deadline Day loan swoop for Liverpool's Ben Doak and Ipswich Town's George Edmundson respectively.

The Teessiders were also made to work hard in order to retain the services of some of their star assets, but the club's decision makers remained true to their 'not for sale' stance when it came to their big hitters.

However, despite yet another highly encouraging transfer window in the books under the regime of Kieran Scott and Carrick, Boro have struggled to put together a string of consistent performances and results through the early stages of the Championship season.

That could prompt the club into making further additions in January, or simply see them get rid of some perceived deadwood. Middlesbrough have registered the maximum number of 25 players in a Championship squad, meaning in order to make a permanent signing other than an under-21 player, they would have to sell/release a player.

But what moves might they make? And will it be a window of consolidating the talent they have rather than bringing new faces in? Football League World takes a look at what Middlesbrough's dream 2025 winter window may look like...

Hayden Hackney stays

One of Middlesbrough's very own, Hayden Hackney has been the standard-bearer for Boro's academy system since his breakthrough into the first team in 2022.

The England youth international has developed into one of the finest central midfielders in the Championship over the last few seasons, and his impressive performances haven't gone unnoticed.

Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool were all linked with the England youth international in last season's winter window, and his eye-catching early performances this term will no doubt be turning heads at top clubs once again.

Breaking up his partnership with Morris could be catastrophic to Boro's promotion chances, as the pair have formed one of the best centre-midfield duos in the division so far this campaign.

With him being a local lad and a boyhood fan, he will surely want to give as much of a chance to see out a dream of representing the club in the Premier League.

As such, any interested parties in January should be sent to voicemail, with the message: 'Call this number back in the summer if we aren't in the top-flight in 2025'.

Emmanuel Latte Lath stays

Despite not yet replicating his goalscoring form that made him an instant fan favourite during his debut season last term, there aren't many who are betting against Emmanuel Latte Lath finding his shooting boots very soon.

16 goals in 30 Championship games last season saw him take ownership of Middlesbrough's number nine shirt, something which he almost relinquished on Deadline Day this summer.

Boro rejected a £20m approach from Ipswich Town in the final hours of the summer window, something which the Ivorian was understood to be not overly thrilled about initially, but later accepted the club's stance and got back to work.

His early season dry spell in front of goal could see interest cool in the Ivory Coast international, but should he start finding the net again prior to the opening of the January window, teams may well turn their focus back towards prizing him away from Teesside.

Should he find his form again, his goals will be vital to Middlesbrough standing a chance of achieving Premier League promotion, and thus, the club should once again be informing clubs and the player that they will not be willing to part ways with such a key figure midway through the season.

Rav van den Berg stays

Since his arrival from PEC Zwolle prior to the start of last season, there hasn't been many better young defenders in the Championship than Boro's Rav van den Berg.

The 20-year-old Dutch youth international has been outstanding for Middlesbrough, filling in admirably at full-back, and excelling in his natural role as a centre-back.

Middlesbrough beat some of Europe's elite clubs such as Juventus, AC Milan, Dortmund and Ajax to his signature last year, and his performances at the Riverside since will have only served to infuriate those teams.

However, they could well return with a vengeance in January, determined not to let him slip through their fingers yet again. If so, Boro could be set for a big payday, but if he plays his part in a promotion campaign, the flying Dutchman could become even more valuable come the summer.

Although Carrick does have strength in depth at the back, none of them possess quite that same amount of class and potential as Van den Berg does. Losing him in January would be disastrous for the club.

Matt Clarke signs new contract

Not many players have performed better, or more consistently than Matt Clarke has since his return from a 14-month injury absence in the second half of last season.

He's been a rock at the back under Carrick, and is proving to be a valuable siege weapon in attack too, with his height and aerial ability providing Boro with a real danger from set pieces.

However, the 28-year-old is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, and although the club do possess the option to extend his contract by a further year, Middlesbrough should look to ink a long-term extension.

Matthew Hoppe leaves

'You can't win them all'; it's a saying that can apply to most things, especially the world of football transfers. In the case of Middlesbrough and player recruitment in recent times, Boro have certainly come out as the winners in a lot of their trades, but not with Matthew Hoppe.

The 23-year-old American international arrived from RCD Mallorca in August 2022, for a reported fee of around £2.5m. Signed as a 21-year-old, the club forked out a substantial fee for the young striker, but his pedigree made sense of it.

Indeed, Hoppe was already a full US international, and in the 2020/21 season, he would score six goals and provide one assist in 22 Bundesliga appearances for Schalke 04 - who would be relegated that year too.

He'd spent time with Barcelona as a youngster, and had already shown his ability to score goals in one of world football's best and highest profile leagues in Germany.

So, despite failing to score in seven appearances for Mallorca in the 2021/22 season, Hoppe was seen as a sizeable coup by the Teessiders, and was clearly a player that had the potential to be a real classy performer at Championship level.

With the fee Boro parted with for him, it was evident that the plan was for him to lead the club into the future, but now he appears to have no part in it. Hoppe wasn't even handed a shirt number for the 2024/25 season, and was relegated to academy football.

For the sake of the once highly promising career of a young footballer, Hoppe must find an exit route out of Teesside in January.