13 players who could leave Middlesbrough this summer with transfer window opening this week

Middlesbrough are heavily focusing on their incoming transfer business this summer having already secured the permanent signing of Luke Ayling.

The transfer window doesn't open until Friday, but Boro are pushing ahead with their recruitment drive in a bid to get business done as early as possible as they target a promotion push next season. It's not only incoming business that should be expected at Boro this summer, however.

While the club are hoping to keep key players at the club, there will be some who they may look to move on for the purposes of balancing the squad more than anything. Too many options will give Michael Carrick a headache as far as keeping players happy is concerned.

READ MORE: Anfernee Dijksteel's Middlesbrough future decision after Luke Ayling's permanent transfer

We therefore take a look at the players who could leave the club this summer. Not every player on the list will leave, and Boro certainly don't want to lose as many, but depending on how circumstances play out, these are the players on notice.

Two goalkeepers

Including Jamie Jones who currently won't be contracted come July 1 but could sign a new deal to remain as third-choice goalkeeper, Boro will start the summer with five senior keepers. It means they have interesting decision to make on the makeup of their goalkeeping department for next season.

Sol Brynn and Zach Hemming are returning from successful loan moves and are desperate to try and impress and displace Seny Dieng and Tom Glover. None of the four feel like players willing to be the third-choice option, which is why Boro are hopeful of keeping Jones.

That means two of the four are going to ideally have to leave the club this summer if they're to be kept satisfied with their playing time. Boro want to keep Dieng to ensure they have an experienced first-choice, but the decision will be who they have as the main man competing with him.

Brynn and Hemming will likely be given a chance to impress early on before decisions are made. At 23 and 24 respectively, both are approaching ages where continuous loans will become frustrating and so, including Glover who needs to play more for his international aspirations, there could be two sales this summer.

Rav van den Berg

Boro's stance is clear in that they do not want to sell any of their key players, and Van den Berg can be considered among them. It would take a pretty hefty offer for Boro to agree to sell, with the Dutchman himself in no rush to leave. However, with the kind of clubs that are targeting him, it can't be completely ruled out.

Anfernee Dijskteel

The permanent arrival of Luke Ayling pushes Dijksteel further down the pecking order at the Riverside after two seasons in which he's really struggled for game time. With just a year remaining on his Boro contract, an exit this summer seems to make sense for all parties.

Hayden Coulson

Coulson was handed a new contract and given a fresh opportunity to resurrect his Boro career last summer after two seasons out on loan. Failing to impress, however, he played very little before spending the second half of the season on loan at Blackpool. They're understood to be interested in re-signing him, and Boro won't stand in his way.

Alex Bangura or Lukas Engel

Boro will this summer monitor Ryan Giles' situation at Hull City, with the left-back facing uncertainty and keen to rejoin Boro after a successful loan spell on Teesside in 2022-23. It won't be an easy deal to do and Boro won't overpay for him when they have two solid left-back options already.

If there was a deal to be done on Giles, however, it would bring the futures of Bangura and Engel into doubt. Engel played far more last season, but his performances were mixed to say the least. Bangura showed more promise but struggled with injuries that limited his impact. One of the pair would likely have to move one if Giles is viable.

Hayden Hackney

Hackney is the second on the list who Boro don't want to lose this summer. The academy graduate has established himself as a real star since Carrick's arrival, and it's therefore no surprise that Premier League clubs are keeping close tabs on him.

Boro are hopeful he will resist the urge to make the jump right now and give them another year at least to get themselves into the top flight, for which he would be a key player. Boro are protected by the fact he has three years remaining on his Boro contract too.

But if a big offer comes in and Hackney were to express a desire to leave, the club have proven reluctant in the past to keep players when they want to leave. There's no indication as yet that is the case with the Teesside midfielder, however.

Riley McGree

With just one year remaining on his Boro contract, McGree didn't completely rule out a Boro exit this summer during a recent interview in Australia. Boro want to keep the forward but will require he signs a new contract or be forced to look to try and move him on in order to not lose him on a free in 12 months. Talks have taken place but there's a difference right now in what McGree's representatives are asking for and what Boro want to offer.

Alex Gilbert

Gilbert spent much of his first season at Boro on the fringes playing minimal games. However, after working hard and impressing in a couple of late cameos, he was handed starts and impressed in the final two games of the season, even scoring at Cardiff City.

It sets him up nicely for next season, with hope remaining high on Teesside that he will develop into a first-team-ready player with time. He will no doubt have the early weeks of pre-season to showcase whether or not he should be part of the squad next season, but there remains a chance he might leave on loan in the summer, with a new forward targeted this summer to increase competition.

Sammy Silvera

Silvera finds himself in a similar situation to Gilbert this summer, having spent much of last season on the fringes. He was described as a low-risk gamble when he joined from Central Coast Mariners last season and while very raw, there have been flashes of potential.

Carrick has praised his effort and described himself as 'excited' by his potential. However, with game-time likely limited if Boro sign a new forward and keep McGree, Silvera could also leave on loan this summer.

Matthew Hoppe

A signing from Mallorca in the summer of 2022, USA international Hoppe has struggled to make any kind of impression on Teesside, with such limited game-time offered. A loan move to San Jose Earthquakes didn't conclude in a permanent exit last year, but he struggled to get back into Carrick's plans upon his return. An exit seems inevitable this summer, with the MLS window opening on July 18.

Emmanuel Latte Lath

The final player on the list is another man Boro are desperate to keep. Kieran Scott has declared Latte Lath 'not for sale' after his 18 goals last season offer much hope. He's expressed a desire to stay and won't pursue deals elsewhere either, but there is still interest.

Boro are understood to be unwilling to even enter conversations with other clubs for anything but big figures, with the cost of replacing him if they want to be genuine promotion contenders next season factored into their thinking. Steve Gibson is said to be 'bullish' in his stance.