Neil Warnock explains Patrick Roberts situation as Middlesbrough boss is quizzed on attacking midfielders and Aynsley Pears to Blackburn reports

Roberts, 23, is surplus to requirements at parent club Manchester City and impressed during a loan spell at Boro in the second half of last season.

Warnock has said he wants to sign two more strikers in the next few weeks to take the burden off frontmen Britt Assombalonga and Ashley Fletcher.

And when asked about Roberts ahead of Tuesday’s Carabao Cup meeting with Barnsley, Warnock replied: “I think the problem with signing Patrick is that we’d have to sign two defensive full-backs and I have more priorities.

“I’d like to sign full-backs and I’d like to sign Patrick but I have to sort of juggle what I’ve got, what I can spend, what the chances are and at the moment it’s not a priority to sign a wide player who can play there.”

Warnock said at the end of last season he wanted to strengthen the spine of his team and add more leaders to an inexperienced dressing room.

The signings of goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, centre-back Grant Hall, midfielder Sam Morsy certainly fit the aforementioned criteria, yet many Boro fans feel the side needs more creativity in midfield.

When asked if the club are looking to sign another attacking midfielder before the start of October, Warnock said he wants to have a closer look at Lewis Wing, and also praised Marcus Tavernier.

“I think if Wing played to his potential I think you’ve got a good player,” said Warnock in Monday’s press conference.

“I’ve not seen enough of Wingy yet, I’m hoping tomorrow - I’m giving you a clue that he’ll be playing - I’d like to think he can take a game by the scruff of the neck and show me what he’s all about.

“Other than that I’m quite pleased with how Tav has played in that role, I’d be more concerned about getting strikers in to give us a change so the midfielders have got something different to play with.”

At the other end of the pitch it’s been reported Blackburn have made an offer for Boro goalkeeper Aynsley Pears, a player who has fallen down the pecking order at the Riverside.

Pears and fellow goalkeeper Dejan Stojanovic were rotated between the sticks last season, yet Warnock has made it clear Bettinelli will be his No.1 this term.

When asked about the reported offer for Pears, Warnock replied: “Neil Bausor deals with all that and I haven’t spoken to Neil until I came back up today.

“It doesn’t surprise me, I think they’ve always been looking at Aynsley so you’d expect not just Blackburn, maybe one or two others to come in now that we’ve signed a keeper.

“Now we’ve got Marcus in obviously he’s going to be my number one so the other two Dejan and Aynsley aren’t going to be happy with that.

“It’s how I deal with that really and you’ll just have to watch the stories on all your forums.”

Warnock said both Pears and Stojanovic have been struggling with illness so may not play against Barnsley.

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