No Latte Lath replacement: Middlesbrough FC will want to avoid these 2 nightmare transfer scenarios | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at two transfer scenarios Boro can't afford to have nightmares over this month...

Middlesbrough will be hoping to exit the January transfer window ready to push on for Premier League promotion.

Boro sit fifth in the Championship table after 26 games, as the Teessiders look to mount a big promotion push in the second half of the season.

In order to do so, Michael Carrick must navigate his Middlesbrough side through a testing and unpredictable winter window, and ensure he can field a side that is strong and deep enough to secure a top-six finish.

However, that may be easier said than done, as some of his star players appear to be in high-demand this month. But which transfer nightmares will the Boro boss be hoping to avoid over the coming weeks?

Football League World takes a look at two transfer scenarios that Middlesbrough can't afford to see happen in the winter window.

Selling Emmanuel Latte Lath without having a replacement lined up

Under the stewardship of Carrick and head of football Kieran Scott over the last couple of years, Middlesbrough have become highly shrewd operators in the transfer market for the most part.

That's seen a number of talented players arrive at the Riverside for relatively small fees, meaning Boro have been able to build a squad that is laden with quality additions for Championship level.

One of those is centre-forward Emmanuel Latte Lath. The 26-year-old arrived from Atalanta in the summer of 2023 in a deal reportedly worth just above £4m, and firmly established himself as Middlesbrough's number nine with 18 goals in 36 total appearances during his debut campaign in English football.

However, after already reaching double-figure goals this season, the Ivorian international has begun to attract serious interest from some big clubs with big wallets.

West Ham United, Leicester City, Ipswich Town and even fellow second tier rivals Leeds United have all been strongly linked with a move for Lath this month, as the feeling around the Middlesbrough support is one of growing resignation to the notion that they will lose their number nine in this window.

If that is to be the case, then Boro will be set to receive a hefty fee for the striker, given the fact they'd already turned down a £20m approach from Ipswich Town in the summer.

What they can't afford to do is cash-in on Lath without a replacement already lined up beforehand, as clubs will likely see Boro's big payday as an opportunity to demand more money from the Teessiders should they come calling for their player.

Middlesbrough have been linked with Peterborough striker Ricky-Jade Jones, with Teesside Live reporting that the 22-year-old is believed to be on Boro's shortlist of potential targets.

That's a positive sign that the club's decision-makers won't fall into the trap of losing Lath without having a replacement at the ready, as whilst Tommy Conway continues to struggle with a hamstring issue, Carrick would be down to the bare bones in his centre-forward department.

Michael Carrick can't afford to risk being left short of central midfield options heading into business end of the season

In the period of time that has elapsed whilst US international Aidan Morris suffered a knee injury whilst on national team duties in November, Carrick, and indeed many Middlesbrough supporters, have been hit with the stark realisastion that perhaps Boro's central midfield depth isn't as strong as first thought.

Morris' absence has forced Carrick into fielding a midfield partnership of Hayden Hackney, and any one of Dan Barlaser and Jonny Howson to play alongside Boro's academy graduate.

However, all three have struggled to make the desired impact in recent weeks. 36-year-old Howson has struggled with multiple injury setbacks, which is a worrying sign of his age potentially starting to catch up with him given the fact the former Norwich City man has rarely missed a game for Boro during his previous seven seasons on Teesside.

Morris was seldom seen giving the ball away during his opening few months as a Middlesbrough player this season, having joined in the summer from MLS side Columbus Crew.

Prior to his injury, the 23-year-old had recorded a passing accuracy percentage of 93.8 percent (per FotMob), which ranks him right among the very top percentile of Championship central midfielders this term.

That hasn't been the case with Barlaser and Hackney, however, as the pair have largely struggled to win their central midfield battles due to an all too often combination of sloppy passing, and noticeable lack of bite and steeliness.

Therefore, whether it's more down to poor performances or a lack of numbers, many Boro supporters are aligned with the idea that Carrick needs to head into the market to bring in another central midfielder this month.

So much of Carrick's tactical approach relies on his engine room operating soundly and efficiently, as he's all about dominating possession and controlling the tempo of matches.

As such, Middlesbrough can't afford to head into the business end of the season chasing Premier League promotion worrying about their central midfield depth and quality, a feeling which will be present in many connected with the football club given what they've seen from that department in recent weeks.