Michael Carrick sends message to Middlesbrough's loan players after Hayden Hackney breakthrough

Younger players such as Josh Coburn, Hayden Coulson and Sol Brynn have been gaining experience at Bristol Rovers, Aberdeen and Swindon Town respectively.

Carrick has been monitoring the progress of those players out on loan and hopes a number will have a future at the club, as they gain more experience outside of the Championship.

Hayden Hackney is one player who Boro's loan stars can look up to, after he spent last term with Scunthorpe United, scoring 17 goals, and has now burst into the Boro first team while earning a new contract until 2026.

“We have a setup and a number of staff members who work with the loan players and liaise with them and then obviously feed that information back up to us,” he said.

"We’re fully aware of all the boys’ situations - how they’re doing, how they’re playing, are they in the team or not. Of course, that’s a big part of the role each week.

"That planning goes on and young players potentially coming back into the group is a big part of that.

"It all fits the bigger picture. It’s great experience for them, especially the younger boys going out on loan.

"Sometimes it’s a good experience, sometimes it’s a tougher experience. But that variety of experiences will benefit them in the end.

"The hope is always that they come back to us better people and better players and develop and learn as they go, ready to come back here in the summer.”

Middlesbrough have closed the gap to second-placed Sheffield United from 10 points to four but face a tough assignment at top-six rivals West Brom this afternoon.