Squad needs greater depth

TONY Pulis is expected to look at all areas of his squad as he sets his sights on bringing in some new faces in January.

It’s widely anticipated that the major focus will be concentrated on increasing the manager’s attacking options, with at least one winger and another striker on the radar.

Pulis has also been linked against with Queen’s Park Rangers midfielder Luke Freeman, who was the subject of a £5m bid from Boro in August.

Reports from the capital suggest that QPR are bracing themselves for a renewed Boro bid, even though Boro are currently well stocked in the middle of the park.

As QPR are faced with a transfer embargo in January, it would not make sense for them to sell Freeman because they would not be allowed to sign any replacements.

One position that Pulis will look at closely is the left-back spot, especially after losing loanee Sam McQueen for the remainder of the campaign.

McQueen, who was signed from Southampton to challenge George Friend, has suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury and returned to his home club.

There have been reports that Pulis might return to Ipswich with an inquiry for the Tractor Boys’ Danish international left Jonas Knudsen.

Knudsen claims that Boro showed interest in him last summer and, by revealing the information, clearly would be interested should Boro come back again.

Struggling Ipswich would hardly want to lose the 26-year-old but everything depends on whether Boro are prepared to make an attractive offer.

Knudsen, who is a long throw-in expert, is a team-mate of Boro’s Martin Braithwaite in the Danish international squad.

None of Pulis’s definitive targets have yet emerged, though he could go back to Aston Villa for former Boro winger Albert Adomah.

There are also reports suggesting that Boro are one of the clubs interested in Sunderland’s free scoring teenage striker Josh Maja.