Emmanuel Latte Lath out: The 5 Middlesbrough FC players surely eyeing an early January exit | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at five Boro players who will surely be searching for a January exit...

Middlesbrough will be hoping to enjoy a strong January transfer window as Michael Carrick's side look to mount a serious Premier League promotion push in the second half of the season.

Boro are firmly in the play-off mix as the new year begins, with multiple strong previous transfer windows filling Middlesbrough's side with talented players and sellable assets.

As such, it won't be a surprise to see interest arrive for a number of the club's star players this month, with Carrick and his staff likely putting as much effort into keeping his squad together as they will be when it comes to adding to it.

So, which Middlesbrough players may be searching for a Riverside Stadium escape route over the next few weeks? Football League World takes a look at four Boro stars who could push for a transfer away from Teesside in January.

Isaiah Jones

With Football League World exclusively revealing in December that Isaiah Jones is a player in search of pastures new in January, the Middlesbrough winger appears to have his heart set on a winter exit.

Having fallen out of form and out of favour at the Riverside during the first half of the season, the versatile wideman has lost his place on the right flank to exceptional Liverpool loanee Ben Doak.

When given the chance to impress by Carrick, however, the 25-year-old hasn't been able to produce the quality required to wrestle his place back from the Scottish international and has been resigned to a backup role as such.

For a player who's moving into the prime years of his career, and having proven himself capable of being a top-quality player at Championship level in previous seasons, regular football will surely be something he's craving.

Jones has been an excellent find for Middlesbrough, having been plucked from non-league football before rising through the academy ranks and into the first-team picture.

However, calling time on his Boro career does have the feeling of being the right move for both parties and he could be an early mover in the January window.

George McCormick

One of Middlesbrough's brightest young academy prospects, versatile defender George McCormick has emerged out of the youth ranks and into the first-team picture at the Riverside this season.

The 19-year-old was one of the stars of Boro's pre-season and has been handed minutes in the Championship and the Carabao Cup this term, predominantly operating as a left-back.

However, Carrick has plenty of more senior and experienced options in that position to choose from, and as such, regular playing time has been very limited for the youngster so far this term.

A loan move to a League One or League Two side could see McCormick obtain some valuable experience in senior football, and he could then return in the summer ready to really push for a meaningful role in the squad for next season.

Emmanuel Latte Lath

Emmanuel Latte Lath has been a Riverside revelation since his move from Atalanta in the summer of 2023, scoring 18 goals in 36 appearances in all competitions during his debut season in the North East last term.

He's since grabbed the number nine shirt and made it his own in the process, but his performances and goals haven't gone unnoticed by some top clubs across European football.

French side AS Monaco were one such club linked with a move last summer, but more recently, it's been Premier League side West Ham United who have emerged as being serious players for his signature in January.

Latte Lath's agent, Matthias Veneroso, has told the media that they "expect something to happen" regarding a move in the winter window, and has been confirmed as having visited West Ham's training ground in the build up to the transfer window opening.

Whether Middlesbrough will green-light his departure is another matter, having blocked a £20m Deadline Day move to Ipswich Town at the start of the season, but it looks as though the Ivorian international does have his eye on a big-money move in January.

Law McCabe

Another of Middlesbrough's most exciting academy talents who could relish a January loan move away from the club, Law McCabe appears ready to make his mark in senior football.

Having been given a handful of first-team opportunities by Carrick, the 18-year-old is evidently a central midfielder with plenty of ability and one that the Boro boss clearly holds in high regard for the future.

But with Aidan Morris nearing a return, and with Hayden Hackney, Dan Barlaser and Jonny Howson all to contend with, getting regular minutes under his belt in the second half of the season looks to be a tough task for the teenager.

Therefore, he could take inspiration from Hackney's 2021/22 loan spell with League Two side Scunthorpe United, which enabled him to return to Rockliffe ready to make his mark on the first team, which he's been starring in over the last few seasons.

Handing McCabe his first extended taste of senior football could do his development the world of good, and with Howson out of contract at the end of the season, a potential vacancy could open up for him to take in the squad for next season.

Matthew Hoppe

A forward who's endured a nightmare time on Teesside over the last few years, Matthew Hoppe's New Year resolution will surely be to finally find a Riverside exit route.

Having signed from RCD Mallorca for around £2.5m in the summer of 2022, the American international was clearly a player that Middlesbrough had high hopes for.

Therefore, to say his Boro career has fallen comfortably short of expectations, having made just six first-team appearances since signing on the dotted line, would perhaps be an understatement.

The 23-year-old wasn't even handed a shirt number for the 2024/25 season, and has thus been relegated to academy football so far this term. For a player who was scoring a Bundesliga hat-trick as a teenager, that's clearly a place he won't want to remain in for much longer for the sake of his career.

So, the new year will bring a new opportunity to call time on his Middlesbrough tenure and attempt to resurrect a once highly promising career elsewhere.