Neil Warnock's message to Neil Bausor and Steve Gibson as Middlesbrough boss eyes Everton winger Yannick Bolasie

The Boro boss is hopeful the club can bolster their attacking options when the transfer window reopens next month and remains interested in Everton winger Yannick Bolasie.

Bolasie was close to moving to the Riverside on loan in October but the deal wasn’t completed in time.

Warnock has admitted there were mistakes at both ends as the deal collapsed, but hopes the process will move quicker next time around.

When asked about Bolasie ahead of Saturday’s game against Millwall, Warnock said: “It all fell down, but I don’t think that was just Yannick’s fault, it was the fault of everybody involved. There were so many different things, but the fact is we left it too late.

"There’s going to be problems when the player is not anywhere near where he should be an hour before the deadline, especially when we hadn’t got everything agreed with Everton, which I thought we had done.

"You’re going to get problems like that. It was a mixture of different things, but it was a big disappointment to me because we haven’t got anything like that. We need a couple of those really.”

Warnock has repeatedly talked about Boro’s thin squad and the need for reinforcements when the transfer window reopens.

Jonny Howson, Ashley Fletcher, Marcus Browne and Grant Hall are all set to miss the Millwall game through injury and Warnock says his players need help.

“We can’t be leaving it to the last minute. We need them early,” Warnock added. “I’d rather be signing players on January 1 than January 31.

“The lads need a bit of help – we all need a bit of a fresh impetus to help us out really. They’re all tired.

"I can’t fault the effort because they are all really trying, and that’s all I can ask, that the lads stick together and do their best. But we need that little bit of quality coming in.”

With Boro looking to make signings at the start of January, Warnock has already been talking to chairman Steve Gibson and chief executive Neil Bausor about bringing players in.

Signings players from abroad will become more challenging, though, due to the UK leaving the EU and the Covid-19 pandemic.

"It’s talking with the likes of Neil Bausor and Steve and the recruitment people to see what we can do,” said Warnock.

"It’s difficult from abroad now with all of what’s going on.”

Warnock also admitted that signing another wide player who can contribute in the goals department will be high on Boro's agenda next month.

"That’s the most important one,” replied Warnock when asked if signing another winger is the priority. “If you told me I couldn’t do anything else but have two wide players, not necessarily wide players, people who can come in and contribute to goals.

“We want that rather than asking full-backs to play there where they are not naturally going to get in the box."

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