It is going to be a crucial summer transfer window for Middlesbrough if they are going to fulfil Neil Warnock’s ambition of having a real go at getting promoted next term.

Boro have had a solid season where they have threatened to break into the top six at various stages. They have though just lacked that extra bit of quality in certain positions that have caused them to miss out. Middlesbrough have though managed to secure Warnock’s services for at least another year and it is hard to imagine any other manager being more motivated for success than he will be.

If Boro get it right in the transfer market then they have every chance of enjoying an excellent season. They will need to secure the players that Warnock deems they need and if they can do that, you would have back the experienced boss to get them very close to promotion.

With that in mind, we look at eight players who already are, or who maybe should be on their transfer radar this summer…

One position that Middlesbrough are going to be prioritising adding to in the summer window is the goalkeeping department. Warnock’s side will lose Marcus Bettinelli when his loan deal expires at the end of the campaign and they would therefore need a new number one.

Boro are reportedly interest in making a move for Oxford United’s promising keeper Jack Stevens, with Warnock thought to be considering making a move for the 23-year-old. He has been in impressive form for the Us this season and has conceded less than a goal a game in his 28 League One appearances, whilst also keeping 12 clean sheets.

Oxford did hand him a new deal back in February, so it will not be an easy transfer for Middlesbrough to pursue. However, Stevens seems to a player with a lot of potential and would have the potential ability to be their number one for years to come.

Sticking with the goalkeeper theme, Middlesbrough also have the potential option of making a possible permanent move for Fulham’s Marcus Bettinelli when his current loan deal expires at the end of the campaign.

It is believed by Football League World that Bettinelli is set to face an uncertain future when he returns to Craven Cottage in the summer. Scott Parker’s side might hand him a lifeline if they are relegated to the Championship with the club having the option to extend his deal by a further year if they choose to.

It is also thought that should the keeper be allowed to leave Fulham in the summer then Middlesbrough are going to be one of the possible destinations for him. Although the prospects of that happening would hinge on his wage demands. The Northern Echo though have reported that his return is now looking unlikely.

As well as looking for a new keeper, Boro are also set to target a couple of additions in the wide positions this summer. One such player who has emerged as a potential target is Rangers winger Jordan Jones.

Jones is currently enjoying an impressive loan spell with Sunderland in League One. He has managed to register two goals and four assists in his 13 league appearances so far since his January arrival. It has been reported that Middlesbrough are one of a number of clubs to have enquired about his availability and potential valuation ahead of the summer.

It is also believed that Jones has been informed by Rangers that he does not have a future at Ibrox and needs to find a new permanent home this summer. Boro will face a lot of competition for this one, but it could be a very wise investment if they manage to pull it off.

Another player who Middlesbrough could make a move for in the wide department is Yannick Bolasie, with Boro potentially able to pursue a permanent move for the Everton forward in the summer.

Warnock has already addressed the possibility of re-signing the attacker and it is thought that he would be keen to sign him permanently if that becomes a viable option. However, he did suggest that it will all come down to whether the club could offer the right sort of financial package to him that would convince him to sign.

Bolasie has been a good performer for Middlesbrough when he has been on the field since his loan move. If he could stay injury-free and get near towards his best form then he would be an astute signing. Although the Northern Echo have suggested his return is now looking unlikely.

A player in a very similar situation to that of Bolasie is Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, with the winger a potential target for Middlesbrough to sign on a more permanent basis in the summer.

Warnock has already indicated that alongside Bolasie, Mendez-Laing could be an ideal signing to make to boost their options in the wide positions for next term. However, as with the Everton loanee he revealed that it would all come down to the sort of financial package the club could offer.

Mendez-Laing has made an impact since his arrival and has scored and assisted one goal in his nine Championship appearances. He showed during Cardiff’s 2017/18 promotion season he can be a real threat in the second tier if sides play to his strengths.

Alongside the goalkeeping and wide positions, another key area that Boro have to strengthen in the summer transfer window is upfront. They have now been linked with Famara Diedhiou for a long while since the winter window.

It was reported that Middlesbrough could have potentially been interested in a swap deal with Bristol City involving Diedhiou and Britt Assombalonga in January. However, no such deal materialised. Instead, it is now being reported that the forward remains on Boro’s radar heading into the summer window, while Assombalonga is no longer a target for the Robins.

Diedhiou has experience in the Championship and has shown he can consistently reach double figures for goals in the English second tier. However, he has never been able to a prolific scorer and so he might not be the player that would come in and fire in 15 to 20 goals.

Another striker that is thought to be on Middlesbrough’s transfer radar heading into the summer is Sunderland’s Charlie Wyke, with him having enjoyed an excellent campaign in League One.

Wyke has managed to register an impressive tally of 23 goals and three assists in his 38 league appearances so far, and that has seen him emerge as one of the best forwards outside the top two tiers of English football. Football League World has reported that Middlesbrough have been keeping tabs on the forward with him out of contract in the summer.

It seems like Wyke could be an ideal Warnock type of striker with him having the physical presence to hold the ball up and also having the ability to take chances in the final third that fall his way. This would be a move that would make a lot of sense.

Rounding off this list is a forward who as of yet has not officially been reported as being a potential target for Middlesbrough this summer. However, Matt Smith does seem to fit the bill of a Warnock type of signing and is similar to Wyke in terms of his physical presence.

Few players in the Championship could compete with the forward in terms of his prowess in the air and he has the ability to play a crucial role in a side that get the ball forwards quickly with his ability to link the play in the final third.

Smith is currently set to be out of contract with Millwall in the summer, and whilst he is not a prolific scorer, he did manage to fire in 13 goals and four assists in the Championship last term. It would be one worth considering if moves for Diedhiou or Wyke did not pay off.