Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick offered a cautiously optimistic injury update on Friday, revealing that midfielder Mason Mount is "getting closer" to a first-team return as the club enters a critical stretch of the Championship promotion race.

Speaking at the club’s Rockliffe Park training base, Carrick addressed the fitness of his two high-profile winter arrivals, Mount and defender Matthijs de Ligt. Both players have been sidelined since the turn of the year, following a physical January window that saw the former Manchester United duo reunite under their former coach at Teesside.

The Road Back for Mount

Mount, 27, has been recovering from a recurring calf strain that has limited his impact since his shock move to the Riverside. While Saturday’s fixture against Sheffield United appears to come too soon for the England international, his return to the grass marks a turning point in his rehabilitation.

"Mason is getting closer, he’s back out on the grass and back with the group to a certain extent," Carrick told reporters. "It’s about managing him now. We’ve missed his quality, but we won't be reckless. He’s had a tough run with his body over the last couple of years, and we want him back for the long haul, not just a one-off."

De Ligt Update and Defensive Stability

The news on Dutch centre-back Matthijs de Ligt was more measured. The 26-year-old, who sustained a hamstring injury in late January, remains on a separate individual program but has begun light ball work.

Carrick confirmed that De Ligt is expected to remain out for at least another fortnight, likely targeting a return for the Tyne-Tees derby in mid-March. In his absence, the partnership of Rav van den Berg and Matt Clarke has helped Middlesbrough maintain one of the stingiest defensive records in the league, a factor Carrick was quick to praise.

"Matthijs is a bit further behind Mason, but he’s progressing well," Carrick added. "The boys at the back have been immense, which gives us the luxury of not having to rush a player of Matthijs’s calibre back before he’s 100 per cent ready."

Promotion Push

The updates come as Middlesbrough sits third in the table, trailing the automatic promotion spots by just four points. The integration of elite-level talent like Mount and De Ligt was seen as a statement of intent by the club's board, and their availability for the season's final eight weeks could prove decisive.

"We are entering that part of the season where squad depth is everything," said Carrick. "Having players of that experience walking back into the dressing room, even if they aren't on the pitch yet, lifts the whole place. We’re in a good spot.