With the January transfer window in full flow, Middlesbrough are currently exploring numerous opportunities to strengthen their squad, while things continue to bubble away on Emmanuel Latte Lath's future.

Boro don't want to lose their star striker, but have received a serious offer from MLS side Atlanta United. Of course, there remains uncertainty over right-wing star Ben Doak too, with the Liverpool loanee available for recall this month as Premier League clubs show interest.

That leaves Boro's right wing under serious consideration, with Isaiah Jones having already left this month. As it stands, with Boro understandably wanting to see how a few other potential deals progress, it remains to be seen if Boro will sign another right winger this month or not.

READ MORE: Middlesbrough's Championship promotion rivals suffer injury blow just before Riverside trip

READ MORE: Ryan Giles, George Edmundson, Latte Lath and more - Middlesbrough transfer state of play

With that in mind, that was the dilemma we posed to out fan panel this week: Should Boro be replacing isaiah Jones this month like-for-like? Our panel this week consists of Youtuber and talkSport journalist Phil Spencer, Boro Breakdown co-host Dana Malt, Boropolis co-founder Chris Cassidy and Twe12th Man member John Donovan

John Donovan

At the moment we have greater priorities than a like for like replacement for Isaiah Jones. I think we need a goalkeeper in, seeing as though we've suffered a bad injury for Sol Brynn and an injury with an unknown return date for Seny Dieng.

Goalkeeper is a key position in the team, one that can save you vital points during a season. Either a short-term loan, with an option to buy, or a permanent deal to strengthen the starting 11.

If it is a loan option for the goalkeeper, then spend the incoming transfer kitty on a tenacious, ball winning, aggressive midfielder. I know Aidan Morris is close to a return, but our midfield, at the moment, is weak and doesn't act as the first line of defence as it should. A leader, a talker, in midfield could address this problem.

Chris Cassidy

Middlesbrough must replace Isaiah Jones with someone who can operate from the right this month. In an ideal world, that player would also be able to operate across the front three. My thinking behind this is very much down to Ben Doak’s situation.

Should the Scotland international’s loan continue beyond January, I’d consider his position on the right untouchable. Therefore, any addition to the frontline who could only contribute from the right might find minutes hard to come by.

Furthermore, I don’t think any of the candidates Boro already have at their disposal can be relied upon. Marcus Forss is a great option, and Michael Carrick evidently views him as an option from the right rather than as a striker, but his injury record speaks for itself. Availability is the best ability, and the Finn isn’t available enough. In the case of Micah Hamilton, I just don’t think he’s ready.

There are certainly other areas of the squad that do need strengthening. However, financially speaking, Boro may also be about to pocket £20m+ for Emmanuel Latte Lath. Looking at it with that in mind, and given Boro would, of course, also need to replace the Ivorian, my list of targets would mainly consist of a goalkeeper, a left-back (with the initials RG), an attacker comfortable across the front three, and a defensive-minded central midfielder.

Phil Spencer

Michael Carrick hinted at using the money elsewhere, but I think it'd be foolish not to replace Isaiah Jones directly. Marcus Forss has barely been fit of late and is a very different player to Jones, while Sonny Finch and Micah Hamilton are not ready to be seen as reliable options for a side with ambitions of promotion.

Blackburn in the FA Cup was Hamilton's chance to show what he can do against a good side at this level and quite simply, he didn't take it. With that in mind, I don't see the sense in throwing all our eggs in the Ben Doak basket.

As has been well-documented, Middlesbrough have no control of his future at the club and banking on having a player who could be recalled at a moment's notice feels risky at best. There's also the risk of him picking up an injury, particularly given how many games he's playing for us.

Boro need to take control of the situation and that means signing a replacement for Jones this month - even if it someone who is not the finished article but is perhaps better placed to make an immediate impact on the first team than Hamilton.

The lack of depth and relying on a loan player in that position - particularly given Forss's recent fitness problems - is a risk that I personally don't think is worth taking and that's why I'd be ensuring that Jones is replaced, regardless of what happens with Doak.

Dana Malt

Right wing is a somewhat precarious position at the moment. There are question marks over the future of Ben Doak, and over the fitness of Marcus Forss. I do think there are other areas in need of improvement, but Boro would do well to plan ahead.

Come the summer, Boro will only have Forss as an option alongside the inexperienced Micah Hamilton, who I’d rather see loaned out for next season. To give a right winger six months to integrate before they become a key asset post-Doak would be a good aim for Kieran Scott and co.

Obviously you don’t want a player to be here solely to adapt, so Boro should target somebody that can make an impact mostly from the bench initially.

In terms of a like for like replacement for Jones, I’d prefer somebody with a bit more of a goal threat. Jones got nine goals last season, but it was an exception and not his norm. Targeting someone similar in profile to Forss or, to throw it back to the Aitor Karanka days, a Cristhian Stuani, would be welcomed by me.

With Ryan Giles heavily linked with a return to Teesside, adding more goal threat in the box, players whose instinct is to attack either post, would add more layers to Boro’s game.

As well as hearing their views on particular Boro topics on Teesside Live each week, you can also hear from them further on their respective platforms. Phil Spencer runs his own Youtube channel which you can subscribe to here. Dana Malt is part of the Boro Breakdown Podcast, Chris Cassidy is part of the Boropolis Podcast, and John Donovan is part of the Twe12th Man Podcast, all of which you can listen to on all major podcast outlets..