The late Steve Gibson phone call which allowed Middlesbrough and Neil Warnock to secure Neeskens Kebano's transfer from Fulham

The 28-year-old was Warnock’s top transfer target in January and eventually sealed a loan move to the Riverside on deadline day.

A week earlier, Boro had been told Kebano wouldn’t be allowed to leave Craven Cottage, despite positive talks between the two clubs.

Then at 9:30pm on deadline day, one and a half hours before the window closed, Warnock received a phone call from Fulham director Alastair Mackintosh saying the deal was back on.

The Teessiders had already completed the signing of Yannick Bolasie and were about to announce the arrival of former Cardiff winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.

Warnock was quickly given the green light by Gibson to sign Kebano, before speaking with Fulham chairman Tony Khan in America to agree terms.

“I’m definitely happier with the squad now, We talked about it all the time with Steve,” said Warnock when asked about Boro’s deadline day business.

“I had to call Steve up on Monday night when the Neeskens thing came up at half nine because I’d already got Mendez and Yannick then. Straight away, Steve said, ‘Yes, go on then’.

“That’s the support that I’ve got. He knows that when you were looking behind and looking at the bench, no disrespect to the bench, but it hasn’t been a bench where you could put players on to win a game. Whereas I do now. I think you could change a game now at the drop of a hat.

When asked by the Mail if Kebano was one of the Premier League players Boro thought they’d missed out on earlier in the window, Warnock replied: “Yeah I was told the manager wouldn’t let him go so I was delighted.

“It was accidental really, Alaster from Fulham rang me from thin air and the owner was on the phone, we just switched on one of these Zoom things in America and I had five minutes with him.

“After that five minutes he agreed to my request and I was delighted.

“We managed to do it in the office with Karen and Laura, how they got it done in an hour and a half was unbelievable.

“That was just for one player, the amount of paperwork you have to do so all credit to them.”

Kebano has helped Fulham win promotion from the Championship on two separate occasions and will certainly help bolster Boro’s attacking options.

The attacker has played out wide and as a No 10 for the Cottagers and his versatility will be an asset.

“He can play both,” replied Warnock when asked if Kebano could play as a No 10 for Boro.

“He has done that for Fulham on numerous occasions so it gives us another string to our bow really.”

Boro can still sign players who are free agents now the transfer window has closed, yet Warnock says he’s happy with the squad he has.

“We’ve probably got one extra than what we thought we would have because of Neeskens coming in,” added the Boro boss.

“So there’s nobody we’re looking at.

“I think we’re very lucky and I think it’s been a great window for us, if I’m honest.”

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