AITOR KARANKA has been hit with the blow that Middlesbrough will be without key left-back George Friend for up to six weeks of the promotion run-in.

While Karanka waits to hear of any progress on the transfer front ahead of Monday's transfer deadline, he has learned the Friend has fractured a shoulder.

Despite suggestions earlier in the week from the club that the problem was not as bad as feared, it has emerged he will be sidelined for at least a month and possibly longer in Boro's charge towards the Premier League.

The set-back could see James Husband, who is on loan at Huddersfield until next Saturday, return and get a chance to prove his worth in Friend's absence.

It could also lead Karanka into having a late scour of the market for cover for Friend, but Middlesbrough skipper Grant Leadbitter insists it does matter what happens before the transfer window closes because the desire to achieve promotion will remain as strong as ever.

Karanka would like to have another goalscorer in his squad for the promotion run-in, with Fulham’s Ross McCormack and Blackburn’s Jordan Rhodes highest in his thinking.

But a failure to reach an agreement over a fee for either of those means there is every chance Middlesbrough will head into the visit of Blackburn on Saturday without an expensive recruit.

Karanka has been boosted by the arrival of Southampton’s playmaker Gaston Ramirez on loan until the end of the season and Spanish forward Kike Sola from Athletic Bilbao.

But McCormack, who is understood to have asked to leave Fulham following the strong interest from Teesside, has not followed and neither has the extra midfielder, despite talks with Benfica for Victor Lindelof.

Asked whether he will be taking much notice what happens on the transfer front, Leadbitter said: “We trust ourselves in the dressing room, it is a positive group, the club is in a fantastic position and we are still four points above third. The transfer window is the transfer window, as a player it will not really affect us, that’s down to others.”

Middlesbrough – who could still turn to Patrick Bamford if a predicted move to Norwich breaks down for the Chelsea youngster - have surrendered a six-point lead at the top of the Championship after losing two matches in a row. Hull City, the leaders in November, now hold a point advantage over Karanka’s team.

There was a strong feeling of frustration at the Riverside among the players and coaching staff after the defeat to Nottingham Forest a week ago.

Leadbitter said: “Let’s not forget we are in a really good position, we are sitting in the top two, the club deserve to be there and the players do.

“We have had a couple of days to reflect this week because we have not had a game to focus on. The two weeks between matches should do the group well.

“But every player in that dressing room hurts after a defeat as we have good people in that dressing room. It’s up to us to regroup, pull together and be ready for the next game.”

Eyebrows were raised among Middlesbrough fans during the last transfer window when Lee Tomlin was sold just before the start of the season to Bournemouth.

But his £3.5m switch to the south coast club has not gone well because he only started three times in the Premier League before the loan move to the Championship’s strugglers Bristol City earlier this week.

The 27-year-old does not hold any regrets about leaving Middlesbrough to give the Premier League a crack – and suggested it was Middlesbrough’s fault anyway for deciding to sell due to the arrivals of Diego Fabbrini, Cristhian Stuani and Stewart Downing.

Tomlin said: "I get (asked) that all the time about leaving Middlesbrough, but they wanted me to leave as I wasn't guaranteed first-team football.”

But he wants Middlesbrough to go up. He said: "I know how much it means to everyone. I really hope they do it.”