Middlesbrough FC simply cannot let the transfer vultures capture these 3 Boro stars in January | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at three of Michael Carrick's key assets who Middlesbrough mustn't let go of during the winter window.

Michael Carrick will be desperate to ensure his Middlesbrough side isn't weakened with the sales of some star players during the January transfer window.

Through largely excellent work from the Boro head coach, head of football Kieran Scott and the club's recruitment team, Middlesbrough have been able to fill their squad with talent over recent windows.

After a combination of over-spending, and a real lack of a clear transfer strategy and philosophy over the years, Boro have evolved into one of the more shrewd operators in the Championship when it comes to working the market.

Investments such as Morgan Rogers have seen the club turn huge profits over a short period of time, which has put them in a strong financial position, and has afforded them the opportunity to repel some big-money interest in some of their key assets.

However, with the January transfer window growing ever larger on the horizon, Boro will no doubt be bracing themselves for a month-long battle to retain the services of their key players once again.

Hayden Hackney

Certain players are easily identifiable as being a vital cog in a certain manager's system; Hayden Hackney is certainly that in Carrick's Middlesbrough side.

Whilst he can frustrate at times with some misplaced passes, the 22-year-old Boro academy graduate plays a crucial role in the centre of midfield alongside Aidan Morris.

His US international teammate is the one who tends to keep things tidy, dictating the tempo of the game, and always making himself available to receive the ball and build possession.

Whereas Hackney - who does that as well - is the one who looks to play those progressive passes up the pitch and into dangerous areas more, which is why the pair complement each other so well in Middlesbrough's midfield.

His performances have captured the attention of Premier League clubs, however, as Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Newcastle United have all been credited with an interest in the England youth international.

Losing Hackney at the halfway point of the season could be a fatal blow to Middlesbrough's promotion chances, and would disband a midfield partnership with Morris that has all the hallmarks of being a duo to build around for years to come.

Emmanuel Latte Lath

Despite sharing his starting role with summer signing Tommy Conway so far this season, Emmanuel Latte Lath remains a vital member of Middlesbrough's squad.

The whole idea behind bringing in another quality centre-forward such as Conway in the summer was so that Carrick wasn't faced with the strength-in-depth issues that he faced last season, as Lath missed a number of games through injury last term.

So by having two top strikers in the ranks of the forward line, Boro have healthy competition for places, and if/when injuries and suspensions happen, they can still field serious firepower.

Ipswich Town came close to prizing the Ivorian international away from the Riverside on transfer Deadline Day, but Middlesbrough ultimately rejected their £20m approach.

Should the Tractor Boys return with another offer in January, or any other club for that matter, Boro must resist any temptation to cash in once again.

If he was to be sold, that would put a huge amount of pressure on Conway to not only score the goals, but to stay fit and available, and would leave Carrick very thin on the ground at the centre-forward position.

Rav van den Berg

Since his arrival from PEC Zwolle in July 2023, Rav van den Berg has been establishing himself as one of the Championship's brightest young defenders.

Middlesbrough pulled off a major coup to capture his signature, as elite European clubs such as AC Milan, Juventus, Dortmund and Ajax among others, were all admirers of the Dutch youth international.

If those standard of clubs were interested in him then, his performances as a Boro player since will only have cemented their feelings.

Spurs are another side who have been strongly linked with a move for Van den Berg in recent times, and being a club who've signed numerous top young talents from the Championship recently, that should be a worry for Middlesbrough supporters.

As such, January could prove to be a prime opportunity for one of those clubs to ensure that the 20-year-old is wearing their colours instead.

Middlesbrough mustn't let that happen. George Edmundson is, for now at least, only with the club for this season, Matt Clarke is out of contract in the summer - Boro do have the option to extend his deal by a further 12 months - whilst Dael Fry and Darragh Lenihan are both only contracted through the 2025/26 season.

Therefore, there is an element of long-term uncertainty for a number of Carrick's centre-backs, but in Van den Berg, the club know they have a foundational player to build their defense around.

Losing the Dutchman in January would serve as a massive blow to Middlesbrough's promotion credentials this season.