Just three days remain in the transfer window as January turns to February. And with Emmanuel Latte Lath on the verge of a Middlesbrough exit, there is expectation that it could be a busy few days on Teesside.

Though Latte Lath is still to finalise his move to Atlanta United, there is currently no expectation for that £22.5 million deal to fall through. It represents a record fee received by Boro for the sale of a player, and also a huge profit on the striker, signed from Atalanta just 18 months ago.

With Latte Lath expected to leave, it opens up some funds for Boro to potentially push through a few more incoming deals before the end of the window. Boro are said to be spinning numerous plates heading into the final days.

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Most important is a replacement striker. Boro have been putting in work for a couple of weeks now to ensure if/when Latte Lath left they’d well prepared to act quickly. Slovakian international David Strelec is, as yet, the only legitimate name to emerge from Boro’s genuine list of targets, though it’s as yet unknown if he will be the one they fully focus on. Celtic have also been credited with interest.

Tottenham’s Will Lankshear has been linked again this month but, as was the case in the summer, he wasn’t understood to be a player Boro considered before he completed a loan move to West Brom on Friday evening. Nor will former loan star Cameron Archer. Leeds United were credited with loan interest in the Southampton striker, with some Boro fans dreaming of a Riverside return thanks to the Latte Lath reunion. However, he is expected to stay at St Mary’s this month.

Though Carrick couldn’t say much on Latte Lath’s situation on Friday as he sat down to preview Monday’s clash with Sunderland, the Boro boss did offer assurances on the work Boro had put in on being ready for an eventuality like Latte Lath leaving.

And on being active for more additions in general, having so far added four new players this month, Carrick added: “Yeah, I don't think that's any surprise. I think every club in the land is doing the same thing with a few days left. There's always something out there that might be an opportunity. It would be criminal for us to not be looking to improve the group.”

As far as improving the group is concerned, Boro are believed to be mentoring the market to see if they can add a new right back and central midfielder before the deadline at 11 pm on Monday evening. That’s because there is interest in Anfernee Dijksteel and Dan Barlaser from Millwall and Derby County respectively. Boro would be open to letting both leave, providing they had a replacement.

Asked about the future of both players, Carrick said: “It's that time of year, there's rumours about. I don't particularly read them. It's that time of year. It's not for me to comment on rumours.

“We're largely happy with the squad but trying to improve it. There's going to be things that might come at us and we'll assess it for each individual player.”

As Carrick alludes, Boro aren’t actively looking to let either Dijksteel or Barlaser go. But there will be merit in doing so in both cases if the price is right and Boro can source a better replacement.

In Dijksteel’s case, he is out of contract at the end of the season. Said to be a high earner on Teesside, he is unlikely to get a new deal this summer despite having a bit of a renaissance in a Boro shirt this term. If Boro could upgrade this month, they’d be able to allow him to move to Millwall and take him off their wage bill.

As for Barlaser, he’s fallen down the pecking order and struggled to make an impact during his two years at the club. Aidan Morris’s recent absence brought attention to the fact that, without him, Boro lacked a combative edge in their midfield which Barlaser does not offer.

As such, they strongly targeted a loan deal for former Rangers and Leeds United midfielder Glen Kamara. They were disappointed in that pursuit, however, as mega-rich Saudi club Al-Shabab completed the transfer from Rennes on Friday evening. Boro are now exploring alternative options but will only pursue a player if they think it will genuinely improve them for the remainder of the season.

Beyond that, Boro had explored potentially adding another centre-back this month after allowing Matt Clarke to join Derby County. Seemingly now ruling that out though, the Boro boss said ‘we’ll be alright’ when asked if they could still sign a central defender.

They say always expect the unexpected this late in a transfer window but it would be a huge shock if anything else were to happen incoming wise. Boro have already added four new players this month and, providing they manage to get a striker, their squad looks well-balanced numerically.

There could still be more outgoings though. Morgan Whittaker’s arrival has further increased forward options for Carrick, and that could mean the club sanction Alex Gilbert’s exit, with Swansea City credited with interest. On top of that, Millwall remain keen to turn Josh Coburn’s loan move into a permanent one despite his injury struggles this term.