MIDDLESBROUGH are well down the line with their planning for the summer transfer window, with head coach Michael Carrick excited by the prospect of further strengthening a squad that is showing real signs of promise in the final weeks of the season.

It's been an up and down campaign for Boro but Carrick's side are preparing for the visit of Leeds on Monday on the back of a nine-match unbeaten run, and while they remain extreme long shots for a top six finish, it's still mathematically possible after West Brom's defeat to Leicester and Norwich's draw with Bristol City on Saturday.

It's almost certain that Middlesbrough will still be playing Championship football next term, and while Carrick's primary focus is the final three games of the current campaign, plans are in place for the summer transfer window, with the head coach and the club's recruitment team having identified what is needed to ensure Boro can progress and build.

“You’re always pretty clear in terms of how you want it to look like, what type of players you need and where you want to strengthen in the group and how we want to move forward," said Carrick.

"That’s pretty clear in my mind. In terms of exactly who and what it will look like, that’s not always easy because it’s not always our decision.

"We try to do the things we want to pull off and bring in, but it’s not always as straightforward. So it always has to be moving - it’s a moving jigsaw puzzle and the pieces come and go.

"You try to make it fit as best you can and hope to always come out of each window stronger. Of course we want to be proactive and get things in place as soon as we can to give ourselves a good starting point heading into next season."

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For Carrick, there's a balance to be struck this summer. Clearly, Boro are looking to add to their squad, with several areas in need of work, but he also believes his current crop of players will have benefited enormously from the challenges they've faced this term and will be ready to kick on next season.

He said: "There's always a bit of work to be done, which is quite exciting. It's a real positive to think we've done a lot of good things this year, the experiences of certain players in a new environment and how they've grasped that and how much they'll be better for it next year.

"But there's always work to do, it never stops, we've never cracked it and we're never totally happy with what we've got. We always have to be pushing. Sometimes it's in the plans, sometimes something will get thrown at us that nobody saw coming and you think that will be a good one for us. There's a plan, there's a bigger picture and we want to grow with the current players and maybe some new players. We're flexible with stuff as and when it might pop up."

Last summer, Boro's squad was ripped apart. The exit of loanees who'd played starring roles and key man Chuba Akpom forced Carrick and the recruitment team to assemble new-look squad.

It took time for the side to settle. Boro failed to win any of their first seven games and were rock bottom when they finally got off the mark with a victory over Southampton back in September.

While Boro do expect to be busy this summer - with ins and outs inevitable - there won't be an overhaul like summer's required - which Carrick believes will help his side next term.

"Stability and continuity is really important and building on something rather than starting all over again," he said.

"That helps us moving forward, without doubt. We're always looking to improve and pushing the current players to be better and bringing the best out of them.

"We want to push to see what is there to enhance the squad as well. The further along the line with that, the less changes we have to keep making.

"Of course we want to build on it. A lot of the players this year have built a lot of experience, some good, some a bit more challenging but they'll definitely be better for it next season."