Middlesbrough 'missed out' on Bundesliga ace as Neil Warnock provides interesting free agent update

Here, we round-up all the latest stories that have emerged today surrounding Middlesbrough:

Warnock confirms free-agent hunt

Neil Warnock has confirmed that he is still looking for a ‘left-sided’ defender and is hunting around for free agents now the transfer deadline has passed.

Speaking this morning, Warnock also confirmed Boro had a move for someone last week break-down.

“We are just looking for a left-sided player, ideally someone who could play left-back or left centre-half.” Warnock said.

“Now we are having to look abroad but we won’t bring anybody in for the sake of it, we missed out on a player last week and we have made a few offers for players and they have gone elsewhere.”

Currently, with Marc Bola sidelined with injury, Lee Peltier has been deputising however, it is clear that another body at the back is a priority for Warnock.

Agent’s claim about Russian international that ‘turned down’ Boro move

According to agent Alexander Manyakov, Boro made an offer to sign goalkeeper Andrey Lunev but were beaten to his signature by Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen.

Manyakov cliaims finances were the reason Boro couldn’t get a deal for the 29-year-old over the line.

“Andrey wanted to go to Europe.” Manyakov said.

“I had an offer from Middlesbrough for Andrey. But there was an offer from Bayer, and he accepted it. This was the desire of the player.

“Middlesbrough had fairly average money, even by Russian standards.”

Robins gives Boro verdict

Middlesbrough face Coventry City and Sky Blues boss Mark Robins has admitted he is expecting a tough test against Warnock’s side:

"It’s always tough to play against Neil Warnock’s teams, they play in a certain way and they’ve got some quality, they’ve got pace, they’ve got power and it represents a difficult challenge but one we’ll embrace and we are looking forward to.

“They have won a game, drawn a few games and lost one so they are on six points and had a decent start to the season and they’ve added strength and quality to the squad so they are a difficult opponent.”

A win for Boro would see them leapfrog their opponents in the table.

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