Middlesbrough transfer news: Neil Warnock optimistic about signing a Premier League player on loan

Warnock was hopeful Boro could make a new addition at the start of the month but admitted on Friday the club aren’t close to bringing anyone in.

The Teessiders are targeting loan deals rather than permanent transfers, with an attacking wide player the priority.

But despite a slow start to negotiations, Warnock still believes Boro will be able to strengthen in the next few weeks.

When asked by the Mail about potential loan signings, Warnock said: "We are quite optimistic if I’m honest, we had a couple more players put to us this week which we hadn’t even thought about.

“I think it’s changing all the time and if the right one comes along you have got to try and get them.

“You usually find if they are a young player you have got possibly five or six in the Championship chasing the same player and you have to hope they see Middlesbrough as the right way to further their career.

“That’s all you can do because you are all fighting for similar players in that age group.”

Warnock has previously said some top-flight clubs want to wait until the end of January before deciding whether to loan players out.

When asked if that is still the case, Warnock replied: "I think that’s the more experienced players in the squad that they want to see.

“One particular club said they couldn’t loan a player out at the moment because they have an injured player who they have to see if they are going to get back before the end of the window.

“I would imagine it’s a similar situation to what we’ve got with Fletch (Ashley Fletcher) so they can’t let him go because they don’t know if the other player will be ready or not, and it won't be until the end of the window until they know about that.

“The other one we have talked to is in a similar situation, they don’t want to make a decision quickly because one of the players I’m looking at is actually in the squad at the moment.”

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