The dilemmas facing Chris Wilder this summer transfer window at Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough had a good season under the management of Chris Wilder but will have been disappointed not to have finished in the top six after taking it to the final day.

Despite coming close to finishing in the play-offs, a 4-1 defeat against Preston on the last day of the Championship season meant Boro ended the year five points away from where they wanted to be.

Therefore, we can see that the side are close but there is also still some work to be done over the summer if they want to go a step further next season.

With that in mind, here we take a look at the dilemmas that are facing Wilder at the Riverside in the upcoming window…

Goalkeepers

If Wilder wants his side to solidify a spot in the top six next season, he will have to look to bring in a consistent goalkeeper.

This season Joe Lumley lost his place in the starting line-up with Luke Daniels stepping up but the Boro boss will be hoping to secure a permanent solution.

The club have been linked with Newcastle United’s Karl Darlow which would be a solid signing as he is a goalkeeper with Championship and Premier League experience having won promotion to the top flight with the Magpies back in 2017.

However, Middlesbrough won’t be alone in their pursuit for the 31-year-old’s services with fellow Championship side West Brom also interested as well as Manchester United, who are keen to do a swap with him and Dean Henderson.

Furthermore, with Darlow still under contract at Newcastle, this is a deal Boro have to fork out for leaving Wilder with the question of how far he pushes for this move before considering alternative options.

Ross Stewart

Another player Boro has been linked with this summer is Sunderland’s Ross Stewart after his brilliant season in League One,