Neil Warnock eyes striker targets but admits Middlesbrough will face transfer challenges this summer

Boro’s recruitment team have already been assessing potential targets for next season, with a new striker the priority.

Warnock had hoped there would be a chance to go abroad and watch players live in the coming months, yet travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic continue to cause difficulties.

“We’ve just been looking at new players and possibilities of things we could do in the summer,” said Warnock ahead of Boro’s trip to Bournemouth.

“At the moment, though, everybody’s struggling to go abroad again. You don’t realise how bad places like France, Germany and Italy are again at the moment.”

Warnock has told his recruitment team to narrow down their list of targets, with the Boro boss keen to bring in players who have Championship experience.

“Say we’ve got two or three main targets, then I’d like to think we could get one early, even if it’s not our main target for the rest of the summer,” the Boro boss added.

“I’d like to think we’d get one in straight away, so we’d know we had somebody sorted and it would take the heat out of things a bit.

“That’ll be what I’m trying to do. With the way the world is, it’s hard to know exactly how the summer will progress, so the last thing I want to do is be scrambling around in August with nothing already sorted.”

A message from the Football Clubs Editor

Our aim is to provide you with the best, most up-to-date and most informative Middlesbrough coverage 365 days a year.

This depth of coverage costs, so to help us maintain the high-quality reporting that you are used to, please consider taking out a subscription to our new sports-only package here.

Your support is much appreciated. Richard Mennear, Football Clubs Editor