AITOR KARANKA insists he is prepared to dip into the emergency loan market to boost Middlesbrough's promotion push.

But the Boro boss is hopeful his hand won't be forced by injuries as the Teessiders enter the final three months of the Championship campaign without two key defenders.

Karanka is confident the absence of Daniel Ayala and George Friend won't be felt over a sustained period as the pressure begins to mount on the all division's Premier League hopefuls.

But with Ayala set to sit out Monday's trip to Leeds after missing the 1-1 draw with MK Dons, and Friend still at least a fortnight away from a return, Karanka insists contingencies are in place should his squad pick up any further unwanted injuries.

Jordan Rhodes' £9m arrival from Blackburn Rovers was the centre-piece of a hectic round of January in-comings as the Teessiders added five new arrivals to their playing staff.

The quintet could yet be bolstered by further signings with emergency loan window is open until the end of March, and Karanka said: "I'm not looking at any loans at the moment, as we have three or four days for Dani to recover before the Leeds game.

"If he doesn't, then we have the same players who played on Tuesday. We have Dael (Fry) on the bench and I trust him a lot.

"I don't know what will happen if we have an injury tomorrow, or if Dani is more than a week, or George is more than three weeks. Maybe then we'll have to look for something."

Karanka will resist the temptation to press Ayala back into service too soon as the 25-year-old recovers from an ankle injury sustained last week in the draw against Blackburn.

Boro have returned to the top of the Championship despite going four league games without a win, taking a modest two points from the last available 12, and Karanka added: "Danny is not back in training at this stage, he's an important player for us and I don't want to take a risk so we'll assess him until Monday.

"We have a week after the Leeds game. I'll speak with him to see how he's feeling, and I'll speak to the doctor. If there's even a small risk, I won't take it"

Friend hopes to return to training next week after missing the last two games with a fractured shoulder. The 28-year-old is making steady progress, and Karanka added: "George has a scan on Friday, and it depends on how that is as to whether he can return to training next week."

Karanka had words of support for Albert Adomah, the winger who was dropped from the squad in midweek, but who is hopeful of making an immediate return at Elland Road, when Boro could be as low as third in the table when they kick-off against Steve Evans' side, depending on positive results for Hull and Burnley.

Karanka added: "The players know how I operate. They know me. Carlos de Pena was in the stand last Saturday but played at MK Dons. Albert was at home on Tuesday, and maybe he will play on Monday.

"It wasn't anything personal against Albert. It's just because I thought I needed those specific 18 players on duty, but then again maybe Albert will play on Monday."