Transfers and more - Seven ways Michael Carrick's new contract is massive for Middlesbrough

Michael Carrick has signed a new Middlesbrough contract in what is a massive statement for the club ahead of the new season.

Signing a new three-year deal that runs to June 2027, Carrick has committed his future to the club ahead of the start of pre-season. And with real optimism ahead of the new campaign, the new deal for the head coach only serves to add to the feel-good factor.

On his new deal, Carrick said the calm and trust he has from the club were important factors, while noting that, although it feels like a big statement, it won't change how he goes about anything moving forward. Why does it feel like such a big statement? We take a look below.

READ MORE: Michael Carrick signs new Middlesbrough contract in huge boost to season preparations

Statement of intent

At the end of last season, as Carrick guided Boro through a tricky campaign that saw him needing to integrate many new players while also dealing with an ongoing injury crisis, he made clear his plan was to build on the foundations put in place to challenge for promotion next season.

They were undefeated in all but one of their final 12 games, boosting Carrick's hopes that he could mould the team, with the right additions this summer, into a promotion-worthy side. That he has now signed that new long-term deal therefore feels like a real statement of intent as far as his expectations and optimism for the new season is concerned.

Speaking on the Twe12th Man podcast earlier this year, when asked about Boro's ambition, Kieran Scott made clear that Carrick was not here to accept mid-table mediocrity in the Championship. This is a man who spent the majority of his playing career at Manchester United winning almost everything football has to offer. That he is happy to sign an extension feels like a real statement of Boro's intent.

Wade off potential interest

There's already been a huge manager merry-go-round this summer with many clubs looking, or have been looking for new managers. Carrick's name has only tentatively been linked with vacant posts, though that is understood to be more because of common knowledge in the game that he would be signing a new Boro deal, as opposed to a lack of interest.

The fact is, Carrick sits well within the mould of the current trend among top clubs to go for young head coaches with attractive styles of play, ie Vincent Kompany to Bayern Munich and Enzo Maresca to Chelsea. Granted, both of those managers achieved Championship promotion, which Carrick is yet to, but a recent Athletic article noted how as far as data analysis is concerned, Carrick is turning up on the top of many clubs' lists.

In reality, the new deal will only wade off potential interest for so long. It will be clear to all that Carrick has no desire to move on right now, which makes the contract important in that regard. But down the line, interest could still come, and if it were to appeal to the Boro boss, the contract, in reality, means little. What is does do is protect Boro in what would then become a negotiation over a compensation fee because they can command a higher one should such a scenario come down the line.

Attracting new signings

With Carrick achieving all he did as a player, there is absolutely no doubt that he becomes a factor as far as attracting players to the Riverside ahead of this summer's transfer window is concerned. Rav van den Berg recently touched on how he and Jonathan Woodgate played a big role in convincing him on the move last summer.

Added to the natural aura from his playing days, he now boasts a very good record as a coach for improving players too. In Chuba Akpom, Cameron Archer, Aaron Ramsey Ryan Giles and Morgan Rogers - he improved many players who then earned top-flight moves off the back of that. With the assurances Carrick will definitely be staying next season, it adds to Boro's sales pitch for potential summer signings.

Player identification

There's a longer-term recruitment benefit to keeping Carrick too - and that's the understanding developed behind the scenes between Carrick and the recruitment team. After more than 18 months working together, Scott, head of recruitment Chris Jones and the Boro scouting team are now well-versed in the kind of players Carrick likes, which makes finding players and presenting them to Carrick an easier process.

This summer's targets are already locked in, with planning starting before last season came to an end. That the partnership will continue from here will benefit Boro from a continuation point of view. Even if Boro would have intentions to replace Carrick with someone with similar values in the event Carrick does leave, there are naturally traits for each position that every individual will be different in liking or wanting.

Continuation and understanding for current players

It's not just continuation in recruitment where Boro benefit from Carrick's commitment to stay. The current players are now well-versed in what is expected of them, with the form of last season proving Boro can compete next term. Carrick previously noted the importance of continuation when discussing next season.

The players are known to really enjoy working under Carrick and as well as knowing exactly what is expected of them from a tactical point of view in a summer where many rivals will be learning new methods under new head coaches, Boro will have that consistency factor. It can also serve to convince certain key men to stay too - in a summer where there is going to be interest in certain players who undoubtedly believe in Carrick.

Unity over direction

Scott has spoken candidly in the past about the fact that it took time for him to find his feet as head of football at Boro - with differences over the direction the club wanted to go in with Neil Warnock and Chris Wilder. Boro, in appointing Carrick, were hopeful they had someone who understood the plan and was willing to work within it.

Approaching two years at the club, signing a new deal to extend his stay is the clearest indication that all is as well as claimed behind the scenes and there is a real sense of unity over the direction and ambition of the club. That's important because, supporters need a reason to believe in that too, and seeing that Carrick clearly does can only help that.

Feel-good factor

The end of a tough season for Boro has certainly offered plenty of reason for optimism. With a real confidence that they can have a positive summer transfer window too, Carrick's new deal is yet another element that adds to the feel-good factor around Boro.

It's hard to think of many examples of success at football clubs when supporters don't feel connected and there is therefore a bad mood around the place. But there is a connection at Boro and supporters have clearly bought into what Carrick is trying to achieve and how.