Michael Carrick must make difficult Middlesbrough decision if Ryan Giles signs: View | OneFootball

The Boro boss already has two first team left-backs at his disposal, and adding Giles may mean one of them has to leave.

Highlights

Middlesbrough are reportedly edging closer to securing the permanent signing of Hull City left-back Ryan Giles.

Teesside Live are reporting that Boro are interested in signing the Tigers full-back on a permanent deal this summer, but may have to be patient in their pursuit.

That's because the 24-year-old has travelled with the Hull City squad to Turkey, as part of their pre-season schedule, in what is perhaps an indicator that any deal for the former Luton Town man is not currently close.

However, optimism has only grown from a Middlesbrough perspective this week over the possibility of securing a deal, after Hull owner Acun Ilicali said: "About Giles, if he wants to go to Middlesbrough, we will let him go. For me, players' happiness is the most important thing."

But any deal for Giles will surely come with the caveat that Middlesbrough will need to let one of their current crop of left-backs leave.

Carrick may have to sacrifice Engel or Bangura

A reunion between Giles and Middlesbrough has been reported for some weeks now, but the feeling around those reporting on the situation appears to have changed from one of 'it's purely speculation', to 'it's expected to happen'.

The return of the attacking full-back would be a hugely popular one on Teesside, as was the level of success Giles had in a Middlesbrough shirt during the 2022/23 season.

Giles, then on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers, registered 11 assists during that Championship campaign, - a league-topping total - as his deadly left boot helped earn him the reputation of one of the most feared players in the division.

Should he make his Riverside return, it can be expected that Giles would become Boro's starting left-back option, and it appears highly unlikely that Michael Carrick will carry three first team left-backs into his Championship squad next season.

As such, one of his current options will surely have to leave. Whether that be on a permanent or temporary basis remains unclear, but it's clear to those closer to the club, such as The Northern Echo, that Carrick will indeed have a decision to make regarding the sanctioning of an exit for either Lukas Engel or Alex Bangura.

Bangura perhaps the more likely to leave

Some players just don't get a fair crack at the whip, whether that be because of injury or due to a new signing being placed ahead of them in the pecking order.

If it is to be Bangura who is the one chosen to be sacrificed by Middlesbrough to accommodate Giles' return, then he will fall into that category too.

The former Cambuur left-back was only able to make 18 appearances in all competitions during his debut season in English football, after missing a significant amount of time with a hamstring injury.

But in 23 fewer games than his positional rival Engel, Bangura was still able to score as many goals (2), and was only one assist shy of matching Engel's four.

That production level indicates that had Bangura played the full season as Boro's starting left-back, he may well have contributed more to Carrick's side - from an attacking perspective at least - than Boro's Danishman.

With Engel having largely been the one entrusted by Carrick even when Bangura was fit last season, it can be presumed that it is the former Silkeborg defender that will likely be the favourite to back up Giles.

Therefore, Bangura may well be the one chosen to head out the door on what many Boro fans will hope will be just a temporary basis, but looking at the facts and figures from last season, there's certainly a case to be made that it should be the other way round.