AITOR KARANKA remains confident that both Damia Abella and Patrick Bamford will soon be confirmed as Middlesbrough players.

Karanka confirmed his interest in both players in the wake of Boro's 3-0 win at Oldham at Tuesday night, and hinted that deals could be agreed within the next 24 hours.

It is now Thursday afternoon and neither player's transfer has been confirmed, but the Spaniard has allayed fears that there has been a problem with either deal.

Abella has spent most of the week at Rockliffe Park, and his move from Osasuna should still be confirmed before the weekend.

Bamford is still to arrive on Teesside, but the terms of his season-long switch from Chelsea are agreed, and the final details of the transfer should not present a problem.

Karanka said: “Damia is practically done, it is just the last details we are going through now. Bamford is one of the names we are working on. The club knows the players who I want, and they are working on bringing them on their way."

The one deal to be confirmed this week was Adam Clayton's switch from Huddersfield, with Jacob Butterfield moving in the opposite direction.

Clayton trained with his new team-mates for the second time this morning, and will be included in the squad that travels to Elland Road to face one of his former clubs, Leeds United, on Saturday.

Karanka said: “He is finally here. He wanted to come here from the first minute, and that is important to me because it shows that his attitude is right.

"He is happy to have made the decision and is going to improve the squad. He knows the league, and is an English player who already knows some of the other players in the squad. He is a player who I wanted from the beginning of pre-season."

Boro have won their opening two games of the season without conceding a goal, but Karanka is not about to get too carried away despite his side's strong start.

He said: “I was delighted with the performances and players’ attitudes, but we have only won two games. One was against Birmingham and, even though I like their coach and his work, they were a team who only avoided relegation in the last minute of last season.

"Then we beat Oldham, who are in a lower division than us. We haven’t done anything yet and have to keep working in the same way."