Middlesbrough FC transfer news: Neil Warnock's admission after Newcastle win plus latest on Norwich and Nottingham Forest target Ben Gibson

Boro have only made one new addition this summer following Grant Hall’s arrival while several first-team players have left the club.

The Teessiders will start their 2020/21 campaign with a Carabao Cup tie against Shrewsbury Town on Friday, yet it’s unlikely they’ll complete any more deals before then.

Warnock has been encouraged by his players’ performances in pre-season, though, especially after watching his side beat Newcastle 5-1 in a training match at Rockliffe on Tuesday.

"We are short of players and I know they've been good today but if you look at the team that finished we are really short of players,” Warnock told the club’s website after the match.

“We are working hard, we can't work any harder to bring them in. I can't see any this week but we just keep going."

Ben Gibson latest

One player who Boro fans would love to see back at the Riverside is former captain Ben Gibson.

It’s well documented the Teessiders are keen to re-sign the 27-year-old who is desperate to leave Turf Moor, yet the situation isn’t that simple.

Gibson still has two years left on his contract at Burnley after joining the club for £15million in 2018, and even a loan move to Boro would require the Clarets to cover a significant chunk of the player’s wages.

Nottingham Forest and Norwich are also said to be interested, yet, according to the Northern Echo, Boro’s hopes of re-signing Gibson have increased as Burnley are struggling to come up with alternative options.

The report suggests both Forest and Norwich are now looking elsewhere, yet it’s also been claimed by Teesside Live that Boro haven’t made an offer.

Clayton looks set for move

Finally, former Boro midfielder Adam Clayton has completed his move to Birmingham City.

The 31-year-old became a free agent after his contract at the Riverside expired in the summer, but has linked up with former Boro boss Aitor Karanka.

Clayton has penned a two-year contract with the Blues, with a year's option.

A message from the Editor:

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to the Hartlepool Mail website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit here to sign up. You can subscribe to the newspaper with 20% off here. Thank you.