Michael Carrick provides Middlesbrough injury update ahead of start of 2023/24 campaign | OneFootball

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The new Championship campaign is now just over a week away and Middlesbrough will be ambitious about what next season could possibly hold after securing a fourth-place finish last time out.

Boro start proceedings by welcoming Millwall to Teesside a week on Saturday as preparations ramp up for what promises to be an exciting opening encounter.

Michael Carrick saw instant success at the Riverside when he was appointed in late October, and now with a full season ahead of him, he will be confident that Boro can kick on under his stewardship.

There will of course be a feeling of optimism about what can be achieved during this upcoming campaign, however, Michael Carrick will likely be without a few integral first-teamers for their opening few games.

Michael Carrick provides update on Middlesbrough's full-back pair

Boro boss Carrick has confirmed that right-back duo Tommy Smith and Anfernee Dijksteel are set to miss the start of the season, whilst in conversation with the Northern Echo.

Smith was stretchered off during a friendly against Real Betis last week, whilst Dijksteel was on the receiving end of a poor tackle in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Portuguese club Vitoria Guimaraes.

Speaking to the Northern Echo, in regards to the injured defenders, Carrick said: “Tommy will be out for a few weeks. Exactly how long, we’re not quite sure yet, but it will be a few weeks.

“That’s obviously a disappointment, but it’s part of football unfortunately. Of course, we didn’t want to lose Tommy, but we’ll have to deal with that. Anfernee will be out for a few weeks as well.

“That’s why you’ve got a squad. You’ve got to deal with setbacks and you’ve got to deal with spells through a season when people are fit and not fit. I want everyone to choose from, but you’ve got to deal with it so we can’t make a big deal out of it.”

Carrick admitted that he is reluctant to address the issue by imminently signing a new right-back, given that it is expected that the defensive duo will not be out for too long.

Boro boss addresses the situations of Chuba Akpom and Jonny Howson

Carrick was also quizzed on the continued absence of Boro duo Chuba Akpom and Jonny Howson, with the Middlesbrough manager going on to provide an update on the two of them.

“We’ll have to see with Chuba and Jonny,” said Carrick.

“We’ll have to see exactly when they come back. They’ve not been training with the group yet, so we’ll just have to make a call on that as it comes.”

Given the proximity to the start of the new season, it is now looking rather unlikely that either Akpom or Howson will be available for when Boro start the new campaign with a home game against Millwall.

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