The future of Middlesbrough's Isaiah Jones is set to be a hot topic going into the mid-season transfer window, with a whole host of clubs tracking the wing-back.

Boro's number two has had a remarkable rise following a loan stint at St. Johnstone in Scotland in 2021, appearing 42 times last season for Boro in the Championship and registering eight assists, and this season he is on three goals and three assists in 20 outings.

And in the last week, TEAMtalk have revealed that multiple Premier League outfits have joined the race to try and land the flying wide player in January, with Wolves, Crystal Palace and West Ham United all registering their interest.

Let's look at TWO knock-on effects for Michael Carrick's side should the hierarchy cash in on the 23-year-old.

Only source of wide pace lost

Middlesbrough's current squad wasn't built for a formation that utilises wingers - they did not expect the Chris Wilder project to go so awry - so Michael Carrick's team has looked slightly unbalanced despite getting some good results before the World Cup break.

Jones for the last year has been playing as a wing-back and has excelled there, but since Carrick's arrival, he has played on the right-hand side of a midfield four and also further forward on the right of a 4-2-3-1.

Not only is he Boro's only real winger, but he is the only player out wide that has that injection of real pace that can trouble a full-back in the Championship.

Riley McGree on the opposite flank doesn't possess that and neither does left-back Ryan Giles, so if Jones were to leave then Carrick would be losing the express pace that he doesn't have elsewhere.

Carrick will have money to spend

At times, Boro are not afraid to put their money where their mouth is, and despite not really getting too many big-money signings through the door in the summer, significant bids were submitted for strikers Emil Riis and Jorgen Strand Larsen.

That suggests that Steve Gibson's purse-strings have not tightened with the sales of Djed Spence and Marcus Tavernier, and that money should still be there come January.

However, the potential sale of Jones - which definitely wouldn't be because of the need for money but more for not wanting to stop a player from progressing into the Premier League - would then add more funds for the kitty for Carrick to play with.

It could mean multiple wingers arrive on Teesside in January and not just one, as it's clear that Carrick needs one for the left side as well - if Jones departs then the right side would need to be addressed too.