MIDDLESBROUGH’S planning ahead of the January transfer window is well under way, but their preparations have not involved the offer of a new contract to Paddy McNair.

With just over two months until the transfer window reopens, Michael Carrick and the rest of Boro’s recruitment team have held discussions to firm up their long-term plans.

There is likely to be a degree of squad restructuring at the turn of the year, although the number of incomings will almost certainly be heavily influenced by what happens to some of the Boro players that are approaching the end of their current deals.

McNair will enter the final six months of his contract at the turn of the year, meaning Boro could be tempted to cash in on the Northern Irishman if they receive a suitable offer. Alternatively, they could look to tie the defender down to a new deal, although Carrick has revealed there have not yet been any discussions with that in mind.

“At this moment in time, no one has been offered a new contract,” said the Boro boss, who is also well aware that skipper Jonny Howson only signed a one-year deal when he agreed to remain at the Riverside in the summer. “That’s not an individual thing, that’s just where we are.

“It’s part of the planning. Timing is always important in football, in whatever way it goes for any individual. At the moment, we are where we are.”

READ MORE:

McNair has spent the last five-and-a-half years on Teesside, and remains a key part of Carrick’s squad. He is one of the club’s highest-paid players though, and with the summer spending having taken Boro close to the financial limits imposed by the EFL’s Financial Fair Play regulations, it will be interesting to see what happens if a Championship rival lodges a formal offer in January.

Last January, Boro brought in Dan Barlaser, Cameron Archer and Aaron Ramsey, with the latter two deals in particular helping cement a place in the play-offs. With Carrick’s current squad looking light of options in attack, there could well be another move to bring in a forward at the turn of the year.

“We’re always planning for the things we can control,” said Carrick. “Some parts are a little bit out of our control. It’s certainly not a case of let’s wait until December and see where we’re at though.

“Sometimes, for whatever reason, there might be later calls on certain things. But we always want to have an idea of where we’re going, what we want it to look like etc.

“That’s ongoing really, whether you’re in a transfer window or not in a transfer window. It’s continuous conversations and seeing how the squad evolves.”