While the outcome of Middlesbrough’s post-season review is still not yet known, it has not interrupted planning for the summer transfer window.

The unique first window opened on Sunday and will remain open until next Tuesday morning, though there isn’t expected to be much business done within this ten-day window. With the majority of players still away on holiday, it is instead expected that business will really start to pick up towards the end of the month, with the second, usual summer transfer window opening on June 16.

At Middlesbrough, despite the review taking place since the end of last season to determine where things went wrong, and crucially, what needs to be done to ensure there are marked improvements next season, there has still been plenty of extensive planning for the summer transfer window.

That includes identifying the five positions Boro want to strengthen (right-back, centre-back, midfield, forward and striker), as well as identifying the top targets they wish to pursue for each of those key areas. While it’s proving difficult to advance such deals in the absence of the players, Boro’s recruitment team are doing as much as they possibly can to put themselves in a good position for when business really picks up in this summer’s market.

It would be fair to question how that can be possible when the review is ongoing. As things stand there remains uncertainty over the review and whether it is now completed or if it remains ongoing. There is, as yet, no clarity from the club, either on or off the record, in that regard.

With supporters growing increasingly frustrated and disenchanted, however, it feels like something that will, when the club feels the time is right, have to be addressed in some way. It was always said that the review would be thorough, and would not be rushed. Despite the understandable thirst for knowledge, the lack of movement in the market and the fact pre-season doesn’t begin until the end of June means Boro do still have plenty of time.

Another thing that was made clear about the post-season inquiry is that it would not be about scapegoating. In that sense, it was always known that the outcome of the inquiry would determine whether Michael Carrick continued in his role as head coach next season or not. But the noises suggested that the preference of owner Steve Gibson was that he did continue in his role, and that his future most probably rested on the head coach being comfortable with the changes that would be agreed upon via the review. As things stand, all the current noises point towards Carrick remaining in charge next season.

Teesside Live understands that, regardless of whether he does or not though, recruitment will be unaffected as far as the immediate five priorities are concerned. They’ve long since been identified as five areas that need strengthening and, with the current model at Boro that sees Kieran Scott as head of football to create a clear direction and thread through the club, any change in management would be one made with continuation in mind, rather than a complete change of philosophy, as has been the case in previous years.

With that in mind, even if Carrick were to leave this summer, the successor picked would be one with the current group of players in mind, and therefore there is little impact to the recruitment in the immediate priority. The five positions identified are areas that would need strengthening regardless of who’s in charge.

A new head coach would always have slight variations in ideas and preferences in players, which could still be addressed later in the window if needed. But Boro appreciate the need to be proactive in the window regardless of what comes out of the review. By the time business really picks up there should be clarity, at the very least internally, so that prospective new signings know exactly what they’re joining. Hopefully the club will appreciate that need for clarity stretches externally too.

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