MICHAEL CARRICK has committed his long-term future to Middlesbrough by signing a new three-year contract with the club.

Carrick’s previous deal was due to expire at the end of next season, and while there had been no suggestion of the Boro boss wanting to move on, all parties were keen to agree a new deal to prevent any uncertainty from developing.

Talks have progressed rapidly in the last few weeks, with Carrick excited at the prospect of what the next few years might bring on Teesside.

His new deal commits him to the Riverside until the summer of 2027, and reflects both his faith in the way the club is developing and the hierarchy’s faith in his ability to deliver promotion.

“I’m really happy about it," said Carrick. “I’ve always been quite calm about it. I think having that attachment, that trust and that belief within the club is really important. 

“We’ve certainly got that - that’s what still gives me the great feeling that I had when I first walked through the door.

“It feels like a big step as a headline, as a statement, but really it doesn’t change anything I do or how I approach it, it just carries on what we’re trying to achieve.”

Carrick took charge at the Riverside in October 2022, replacing Chris Wilder, and led Boro into the play-offs in his first season in charge.

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Last term saw the Teessiders finish in eighth position, but while a succession of serious injuries wrecked any chance of another play-off campaign, a run of one defeat from the final 12 matches highlighted the quality that exists within the current squad.

Boro have already made one addition this summer, turning Luke Ayling’s loan move from Leeds United into a permanent transfer, and intend to make another four or five signings in order to strengthen the squad for next season.