Boro’s boss may be open to a switch to Selhurst Park at the end of the campaign.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Crystal Palace may be interested in hiring Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick as a replacement for Roy Hodgson.
- Vincent Kompany is also on Palace’s radar.
- Carrick may consider a move to the Premier League if Boro don’t get promoted at the end of the season.
Crystal Palace are keen on Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick, according to Football Transfers.
The same outlet believes the Eagles could be interested in luring the former Manchester United midfielder at the end of the season, with the club potentially looking for a replacement for Roy Hodgson when the 2023/24 campaign comes to a close.
There was speculation about Hodgson’s future in the English capital last month, with Palace failing to win a league match since the early stages of November before the end of December.
However, a 3-1 victory against Brentford may have eased the pressure on the former England manager slightly – and if he can continue to do well – Palace may wait until the end of the season to make a change.
Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna has also been linked with the top job at Selhurst Park previously, as well as Steve Cooper who left Nottingham Forest earlier this term despite making an excellent impact at the City Ground during his stay in the East Midlands.
Football Transfers believes Burnley manager Vincent Kompany is also under consideration at Palace, even though he has struggled to get results at Burnley this term, with the Clarets sitting in the relegation zone.
Although their struggles are perhaps to be expected considering they have only just been promoted back to the Premier League, there have been criticisms of Kompany this term, with some of last season’s key players being frozen out.
Michael Carrick’s stance on Middlesbrough exit
Carrick has stayed loyal to Boro despite attracting interest from elsewhere in the past – and it has never seemed as though he’s been in a rush to depart the Riverside.
Football Transfers, however, believe Carrick would be open to a move to the top flight at the end of the season if the Teesside club don’t get promoted at the end of the season.
He has done an exceptional job since his arrival at the Riverside, guiding the club from the relegation zone to the play-offs during his first season before they fell at the penultimate hurdle in the semis.
And they currently sit just one point above the play-off zone at this stage despite a poor start to the season.
| Championship (6th-10th) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| As it stands 15th January | P | GD | Pts | |
| 6 | Coventry City | 27 | 12 | 40 |
| 7 | Sunderland | 27 | 7 | 40 |
| 8 | Watford | 27 | 7 | 39 |
| 9 | Hull City | 27 | 3 | 39 |
| 10 | Middlesbrough | 27 | 1 | 39 |
What Middlesbrough need to do now
Getting Carrick tied down to a new deal has to be a priority for owner Steve Gibson.
Boro may have endured a poor start to the season – but they have been excellent since – overcoming setbacks quickly and getting points on the board.
Having a good chance of reaching the play-offs again this term, Carrick has done a solid job and it’s no surprise that he is attracting interest from elsewhere.
But Boro are big enough to hold on to him – and if Carrick does sign a new deal that means Palace have to pay more compensation – that could potentially persuade the top-tier side to look elsewhere.
Whether he’s prepared to sign an extension is unclear though.
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