Why Michael Carrick is not concerned by speculation linking Middlesbrough players with an exit

Michael Carrick will take speculation linking Middlesbrough players with moves elsewhere as a compliment of the positive work being done at the club, as he remained unperturbed by the thought of receiving offers for the best young players this summer.

Carrick is ambitious in his desire to lead Boro to Premier League promotion next season and to do that, keeping their best players at the club could be crucial as the Boro boss previously emphasised the importance of continuity after last summer's impactful overhaul.

The club are determined to keep their top stars this summer, with Hayden Hackney, Rav van den Berg and Emmanuel Latte Lath likely to be the subject of interest this summer. However, with the club in the financial position it is currently, they will ultimately be fairly powerless if big clubs come in with big-money offers and the players request to leave.

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Asked about Boro's chances of keeping their best players, Carrick said: “Speculation is natural really and I certainly take it as a compliment of the work we’re doing as a club. If we’ve got players that teams are looking at and interested in and we are seen as exciting to watch, then that speaks highly of what we’re doing here and comes with the territory.

"If you’re building and helping develop good young players in an exciting football team, it’s not so much that it gives us confidence in what we’re doing, it’s about having that trust in the process. Of course, we want to keep the players we have here and develop as much as we can though. That doesn’t change from my point of view."