MICHAEL Carrick is preparing for his first summer and full season in charge of Middlesbrough.

Boro suffered play-off disappointment against Coventry City last month but are well placed to bounce back stronger as they plan for another promotion push next term.

In preparation, it promises to be a busy summer as Boro look to strengthen their squad and replace the departing loanees.

POSITIONS THAT NEED STRENGTHENING

There are two obvious areas that need strengthening in the coming weeks: in goal and up-front.

And although they're arguably the two most difficult positions to recruit for, Boro are in the advantageous position of having known for months that those departments would take priority this summer.

Had Boro won promotion then there's a chance that either one or both of Zack Steffen and Cameron Archer would have returned to the Riverside next season. With Boro instead planning for another season in the Championship, the chances of either coming back are slim.

Boro moved to sign Sol Brynn to an extended contract last month after his impressive loan spell with Swindon Town and the youngster will likely get the chance to impress Carrick in pre-season, but a keeper will still be signed this summer.

Up-top, Boro do have options. Marcus Forss led the line in Carrick's early weeks in charge before being moved to the flank, Matt Crooks is seen as a striker by the head coach and Josh Coburn is returning after his loan with Bristol Rovers, but Archer - who was first choice after his January arrival from Aston Villa - will be replaced.

Elsewhere, Boro are in the market for a left wing-back after Ryan Giles returned to Wolves. Marc Bola will hope to get the chance to stake his claim in the summer and Hayden Coulson will also be desperate to grasp an opportunity that looked unlikely to come his way when he left for Aberdeen last summer with, at the time, only a year left on his contract.

With Aaron Ramsey returning to Aston Villa after his loan, Boro will be looking to bring in at least one wide player, an area of the pitch so crucial to the way Carrick plays.

Hayden Hackney, Dan Barlaser and Jonny Howson is a midfield trio that would delight any Championship boss. Boro do, however, look short of specialist cover for Howson and with Alex Mowatt having returned to West Brom after his year on Teesside, a central midfielder is likely to be on Carrick's wishlist.

REPLACING LOANEES

First things first here, is there any chance of any of last season's loan players returning?

Starting at the back, Steffen's future has been complicated by last week's knee surgery. Reports in his homeland claim the keeper could be sidelined for upto four months. Steffen has made it clear he wants a move this summer and has no intention of spending next term sat on the sidelines at Manchester City, but his wage at the Etihad could make a permanent move difficult. With a year left on his contract, another loan move for the keeper isn't out of the question.

Ryan Giles' Wolves situation is unclear at this stage, with boss Julen Lopetegui keen to have a look at the full-back in pre-season. If he decides Giles isn't part of his plans, they're likely to favour a permanent sale rather than another loan given the defender will turn 24 next season.

Carlos Corberan will assess Alex Mowatt in pre-season after the midfielder's West Brom return. Steve Bruce was Baggies boss when his Boro move was sanctioned.

Unai Emery will have a close look at Aaron Ramsey and Cameron Archer before deciding the best course of action for the pair. Emery will need to strike a balance. He needs depth as he prepares for the Europa Conference League but will also be aware of the importance of Archer and Ramsey continuing their development with regular football.

If Villa decide on another loan for Archer, a switch to a Premier League club is the natural next step after two impressive stints in the Championship with Preston and Boro. As for Ramsey, last season was his first in the Championship and his spells at Norwich and Boro were both disrupted by injury. Villa might well deem another season in the Championship as wise for the 20-year-old. If that is the case, Boro would be well placed to re-sign the winger.

One player who definitely won't be coming back to Boro is Rodrigo Muniz. He's likely to leave Fulham this summer, with a return to Brazil potentially on the cards.

RETURNING LOANEES

The aforementioned Coburn, Coulson and Brynn are among the returning loanees who'll be hoping to catch Carrick's eye in pre-season.

Kamil Conteh is another who'll hope he can play his way into Carrick's plans after his impressive season at Gateshead.

Although the second half of Coburn's loan spell with Bristol Rovers was disrupted by niggling injuries, the striker still made 35 League One appearances for Joey Barton's side, scoring 10 goals.

Coulson looked to have played his last game for Boro when he joined Aberdeen but after signing a new deal earlier this year Carrick confirmed the wing-back is part of his plans. He was one of Boro's best players in Jonathan Woodgate's season in charge.

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WHAT ABOUT EXITS?

The priority for Boro this summer is strengthening. With the loan players having returned to their parent clubs, Boro's squad is thin and there aren't many - if any - fringe players who need offloading.

Isaiah Jones has attracted interest from Premier League clubs in the past. Next year at this time he'll be moving into the last 12 months of his contract, and having spent a bulk of time on the fringes under Carrick, Boro would have a decision to make on the young winger if any bids are forthcoming this summer.

Hayden Hackey unsurprisingly has Premier League interest after his breakthrough season but Boro have no intention of cashing in on the midfielder.

Boro are also absolutely not actively looking to offload Chuba Akpom this summer after his record breaking season, but the complicating factor is the striker's contract that is due to expire at the end of the coming campaign, as things stand. Akpom is happy at Boro, describing Carrick as his "dream" manager. Premier League clubs have inevitably been linked but it's not yet clear whether any will firm up reported interest with a bid.

Dael Fry, Paddy McNair and Matt Crooks are all moving into the final year of their contracts at Boro but the trio were all key figures for Carrick last season.

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

Who'd have predicted at the start of the season that Chuba Akpom would be the runaway winner of the Championship's Golden Boot race and shine as a No.10? Or Hayden Hackney, on the back of his difficult Scunthorpe loan spell, would emerge as such a key figure and one of the star midfielders in the Championship?

Or that Marcus Forss would be so effective in a wide right role? Or even that Tommy Smith would end up playing so much football for Boro having signed as cover for Isaiah Jones.

The point being, on more than one occasion last season, Carrick had great success in thinking outside the box and wouldn't be at all surprising if the head coach had something unpredictable up his sleeve for next term. Watch this space.