Thomas-Asante features: 5 EFL stars who must be on Middlesbrough FC's transfer shortlist | OneFootball

Michael Carrick is looking for quality additions at the right price this summer, and these 5 EFL stars could be just what he's looking for...

Middlesbrough are looking to make quality additions over quantity this summer, with head coach Michael Carrick already concluding some strong early business in the summer window.

USA international Aidan Morris has completed his £3m move to Boro from Columbus Crew, as Carrick looks to add a fresh pair of legs to his midfield engine room.

Whilst enigmatic forward Delano Burgzorg has put pen to paper on a four-year contract at the Riverside Stadium, joining from Bundesliga side Mainz following an impressive loan spell with Huddersfield Town last season.

Last season's loan star Luke Ayling also pledged his future to the club, penning a two-year deal to remain on Teesside as Boro's starting right-back option for next season.

But the Teessider's aren't finished yet, with the recruitment of a striker still firmly on the agenda, and perhaps another creative forward player or two to really beef up Carrick's attacking options.

Football League World takes a look at five current EFL stars who Middlesbrough should be taking a look at this summer.

Brandon Thomas-Asante

Middlesbrough are still in the market for a centre-forward this summer, with Carrick intending to place a 'high quality' striking option behind Emmanuel Latte Lath next season, as Boro's Ivorian international missed 16 Championship games through injury in 2023/24.

With Latte Lath being the clear starting number nine, it is unlikely Boro will want to spend a substantial fee on a number two striker, but are clearly searching for a player that can still come in and score goals when called upon.

West Brom's Brandon Thomas-Asante could be the perfect match to that criteria, as the Ghanaian international only has 12 months remaining on his deal at The Hawthorns, and was able to return 11 goals and two assists from 41 Championship matches last season.

Ryan Giles

Boro fans need no introduction as to the type of impact Ryan Giles could have in Carrick's team. That's because with his 11 Championship assists in the 2022/23 season, he's already shown it.

With Hull City officially seeing through their obligation to buy Giles from Luton Town for a reported £4m, it is now up to the Tigers to decide whether they intend to keep the 24-year-old, or direct him straight from the entrance door to the exit door.

Middlesbrough aren't believed to be actively scouring the market for a left-back, having already got Lukas Engel and Alex Bangura in their possession, but should Giles become available to them this summer, it appears it will be viewed as too good of an opportunity to turn down.

Juninho Bacuna

I promise Middlesbrough fans, there's more to this one than him simply baring the name of Boro's greatest ever player - although it doesn't half help.

Although Birmingham City's Juninho Bacuna probably wouldn't receive the same lining of the streets welcome Juninho Paulista received way back in 1995, Boro fans should still celebrate should the Curacao international make a move to the Riverside.

The 26-year-old was one of Birmingham's brighter stars amid a disappointing relegation season, as the former Rangers midfielder registered seven goals and six assists in 45 Championship games.

A very respectable return given the aforementioned outcome of Blues' season, and with just 12 months remaining on his contract, Birmingham could look to cash in on him this summer.

Capable of playing anywhere in midfield, on the flanks and even as a right-back, Bacuna would provide Carrick with a productive do-it-all option, a trait that could be extremely important during the twists and turns of a Championship campaign - the caveat is though that he looks to be heading to Turkish outfit Sivasspor, unless that deal collapses.

Sorba Thomas

Middlesbrough lacked creativity from wide areas for large parts of last season, with Isaiah Jones doing his best to shoulder the creative load from the wing.

Step forward Sorba Thomas, who other than Ipswich Town's assist machine in Leif Davis, was the player who created the most chances (123) of any Championship player last season - per FotMob.

That statistic alone should be enough to capture the interest of Carrick, but when you pair that with the 24-year-old potentially being available for as little as £750,000 - per Alan Nixon via Patreon -and you have a scenario in which the Boro boss should be ringing the Terriers' phone off the hook.

Harvey Knibbs

If you look hard enough, quality players are there to be poached across the EFL pyramid, and in the case of Reading's Harvey Knibbs, Boro could land themselves an absolute bargain.

When watching the former Cambridge United man through a Middlesbrough lens, it's very hard not to draw comparisons to Chuba Akpom.

The 25-year-old is comfortably over six-feet tall, and has that scopey athleticism that Akpom possessed, with neat footwork and a real eye for goal.

Oh, and if you thought the similarities stopped there, you'd be wrong. Exactly how Carrick unlocked Akpom's true potential by playing him in a more central number 10 role, Knibbs has become a different player since moving from the wing to a more central role.

Reading - very sadly - remain in a perilous financial situation because of the disastrous tenureship of Dai Yongge, and a healthy offer from Middlesbrough for Knibbs would surely be something the Royals would have to entertain.