Middlesbrough will no doubt see changes in their squad over the course of the summer transfer window.
Michael Carrick will no doubt want to add further quality to his side, as he aims to re-establish the club in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, there could be other who depart The Riverside Stadium for good. That may either be as they are bought by another club after impressing for ‘Boro, or due to their contract in the North East expiring.
However, there are some players at Middlesbrough, who perhaps need a move away from the club, but would be better suited to temporary exit to take the next step in their careers.
So with that in mind, we’ve taken a look at three players who may want to target a loan move away from The Riverside for next season, right here.
Alex Gilbert has had a tough debut season
Back in the summer transfer window, Alex Gilbert joined Middlesbrough on a permanent deal from Brentford. Since then though, the attacking midfielder has managed just six appearances in all competitions for the club.
That is despite him being challenged to make more of an impact in the second half of the season by Carrick, after a decision not to send him out on loan was made in January. So given he has continued to struggle, a temporary move in the summer could now make sense.
With three years left on his contract at The Riverside, he may not want to give up on his career there just yet. A temporary move next seasonwould ensure he doesn’t have to do that, while allowing Gilbert the game time he needs to build confidence and momentum to make an impact for ‘Boro further down the line.
Law McCabe is an exciting prospect for Middlesbrough
This season has been a landmark one for Law McCabe. The 17-year-old has made his first two senior appearances for the club, including one in the Championship.
Speaking after that, Carrick was full of praise for the midfielder, describing him as ‘brilliant’. The next step for McCabe, may now to be to show he can compete at senior level on a regular basis.
It may be an ask for him to do that in the Championship immediately, but Middlesbrough are unlikely to want to lose a player with his potential so early in his career. As a result, a summer loan move that allows him the chance to get used to the challenges of consistent first-team football before returning to The Riverside, may make sense for all involved.
Matthew Hoppe has already been out on loan
Having joined ‘Boro back in the summer of 2022, Matthew Hoppe has struggled to establish himself, making just a handful of appearances for the club. He has already been out on loan with Hibernian and San Jose Earthquakes.
The latter of those loan stints was ended prematurely in December, and he has yet to make an appearance since his return to Middlesbrough at that point.
Another loan spell in the summer could therefore make sense. That way, the striker may be able to rediscover some form, and put himself in the shop window for the summer of 2025, when he will be entering the final year of his contract at The Riverside Stadium.