Middlesbrough have already shown good signs of improvement under the guidance of Chris Wilder and will be looking towards the new year with a renewed sense of confidence. 

The North East club currently occupy fifth place as January grows ever closer, with their recent victories over the likes of Nottingham Forest and AFC Bournemouth underlining their play-off credentials at this early stage of the campaign.

Wilder has made sure that his new side masters the basics and it is certainly paying dividends so far as they continue to put the Neil Warnock era behind them.

There is no doubt that the former Sheffield United boss will now be looking ahead to next month, as he is set to be given the opportunity to potentially add some new faces to his squad.

Here, we take you through what Boro's starting eleven could look like on February 1st after the January transfer window.

The goalkeeper and back three should remain intact once January is out the way, with both Paddy McNair and Dael Fry having previously been linked with departures away from the Riverside Stadium.

One change that could be made to the midfield five would be the return of Djed Spence in place of Isiah Jones, with the former potentially being set to be recalled by Boro from Nottingham Forest.

He would line up alongside the likes of Neil Taylor, Marcus Tavernier, Jonny Howson and Matt Crooks.

Up top Andraz Sporar should be joined by striker Aaron Connolly, with the 21-year-old Brighton & Hove Albion man said to be close to signing for Wilder's men on loan until the end of the season.

This expected addition along with the potential recall of Spence from his loan should help Boro to keep on pushing in the right direction as they seek to become serious contenders for not only the play-offs but also automatic promotion.