Middlesbrough goalkeeper dilemma as Sol Brynn and Zach Hemming return

Michael Carrick admits he will have some tough decisions to make this summer with regard to his goalkeeping department, as academy graduates Sol Brynn and Zach Hemming return from impressive loan spells.

Having signed three goalkeepers last summer in Seny Dieng, Tom Glover and Jamie Jones, Carrick now has Brynn, 23, and Hemming, 24, returning with first-team ambitions of their own. Hemming has been a regular all season at Scottish Premiership overachievers St Mirren, helping them secure European football next season with impressive displays.

Brynn, meanwhile, enjoyed a solid season at Leyton Orient this term off the back of winning Player of the Year with Swindon Town last season. His agent Ian Harte has already made clear that his aim is to return this summer and challenge to be Boro's number one.

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Harte told Free Bets earlier in the season: "I think Sol is good enough to play for Middlesbrough now. Obviously that's not up to me, it's up to Michael Carrick and his staff. He definitely wouldn't disappoint if he played for Middlesbrough in the future. I think Sol is a top, top goalkeeper.

"He'll definitely play in the Premier League. Hopefully he'll get the opportunity to play at Middlesbrough and win promotion with Middlesbrough. Middlesbrough have a top-quality keeper on their hands. He's Boro through and through. He wants to come in and help that team. His main goal is to come back in pre-season ready to smash it and challenge to be the No.1."

With the League One season ending earlier than the Championship, Brynn did get a short window of training with Boro following Orient's final game, allowing him time to show Carrick what he's capable of. But his big opportunity will likely come in pre-season.

Jamie Jones will remain at the club for now, despite being out of contract this summer. Making use of Boro's facilities to recover from a shoulder injury, the veteran could yet earn a new deal to remain as an important third-choice keeper next term, having proven an invaluable member of the squad last term despite not making a single appearance.

But with Dieng and Glover both linked with moves away from Boro before the end of last season, and with Brynn and Hemming both approaching ages where they will want to try and establish themselves rather than continue to head out on loans, Carrick admits there are big decisions ahead for Boro this summer.

He said: “It's been good [the reliability of his goalkeepers this season]. We're fortunate that we have got the goalkeepers to choose from. We have to choose what's best for the younger ones and what's best for us in terms of what the squad looks like. What's best for them in terms of how we can bring the best out of them and give them the best chance to fulfil their potential.

"It's an individual case-by-case basis. The boys [Brynn and Hemming] have done well and gained a lot of experience. We have to make decisions on how the balance of the group looks moving forward. That's the time of the year it is, but we're fortunate we have those choices to make."

As Carrick alludes to, it's a good position for Boro to find themselves in, with it better to have the options to choose from than not. However, goalkeeper is such a unique and specialised position because you tend not to switch between them too often given the value in bonds being formed on the pitch making consistency valuable to solidity.

As such, there are usually less opportunities for keepers who aren't your first choice unless there is unavailability for whatever reason. That's not to say that chances can't and won't be earned, however.

“It's not to say there's never an opportunity, and it's never set in stone," Carrick insists. "But as an outfield player there's more flexibility in getting an opportunity. That's the nature of the roles and positions and the boys will understand that."

Whether Brynn or Hemming can prove themselves ready to replace Dieng as first choice next term remains to be seen. If deemed not quite ready for that step up, the dilemma is then whether keeping them at the club to provide competition potentially hampers their development when potentially not playing week in, week out anymore, or if just being around the club and the squad is more beneficial for the long-term.

With five keepers on their books including Jones though, Boro are almost certain to need to see two departures this summer, whether that is via a permanent sale or more loan exits.