Michael Carrick is aware of the rising speculation surrounding Seny Dieng, but claims he is unconcerned about reports that clubs around Europe are tracking the Middlesbrough goalkeeper.
According to reports this week, Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, and Ipswich Town, as well as Spanish La Liga club Sevilla, are all interested in signing Dieng this summer.
The Senegal international joined Boro from QPR last summer for about £2 million, and given that he is under contract at the Riverside until 2027, the Teessiders are in a very strong position if they get formal offers.
They will not want to lose a player who quickly established himself as the club’s number one after leaving Loftus Road and has delivered a string of good performances this season, both in terms of shot-stopping and effective ball distribution from the back.
However, if they sell this summer, they might more than double their money, with Tom Glover establishing himself as a strong number two and youngster Sol Brynn impressing on loan at Leyton Orient.
“That’s (the speculation over Dieng) the nature of the beast,” added Carrick, whose team faces Swansea City tomorrow. “I’m not too interested in stuff like that. We know our squad, the guys, and what they’re capable of. It does not disturb me who is tied to who or what is going on.”
Nonetheless, Dieng’s future appears to be a heated subject this summer, as the 29-year-old is one of several players who could draw transfer interest throughout the offseason.
Last season, Zach Steffen was a significant player for Boro as they advanced to the play-off semi-finals, with his ability to handle the ball under pressure playing an important role in Carrick’s possession-based approach.
Replacing the former Manchester City loanee was always going to be an important part of Boro’s squad development last summer, and Dieng was swiftly identified as the club’s top priority.
The Senegalese shot-stopper has certainly lived up to his billing, as his ability to duplicate Steffen’s distribution and positioning has allowed Boro to adopt a similar general strategy to the one that worked so well last season.
“He’s (Steffen) done it ever so well, as has Tom (Glover) when he’s played,” Carrick remarked. “That is how we want it to look, and it is something we anticipate and request.
“It suits the people and is about playing to their strengths because the guys we’ve brought in are designed with that in mind. He did an excellent job with that. As a goalie, you want them to be as stable and calm as possible, like Seny is, because it benefits everyone else.”
Dieng’s comeback from the injury that led him to withdraw from the Africa Cup of Nations has coincided with a significant improvement in Boro’s defensive performance.
Carrick’s team has only conceded one goal in their past five games, and despite Sheffield Wednesday’s lack of an offensive threat on Monday, Dieng made a critical save by turning Ike Ugbo’s goal-bound shot around the post.
While Glover made the rare great save during his time in the side, Boro’s defence has appeared much more trustworthy with Dieng in goal, though Carrick is eager to praise the team’s collective development over the last month rather than single out any individual.
“It’s a collective team thing,” he remarked. “The guys have been properly defended from the start, which is critical for us to understand. Hopefully, this reduces the amount of work that everyone needs to complete.
“It makes everyone’s jobs a little simpler. In a perfect world, the goalkeeper should have very little to do. Seny has had to make some big saves for us at times, but he has also been a little quieter at times, like Tom did before him.
“There are a lot of factors, but ultimately, as a team and as a group, we’ve been and need to continue being more solid and working better as a group.”
