AITOR KARANKA expects to welcome George Friend back from injury before Christmas in a major boost to Middlesbrough's Premier League campaign.

Boro's head coach revealed his stand-in skipper is 'one or two weeks' away from a return, as the influential 29-year-old steps up his recovery from a knee problem that has ruled him out for the past two games.

The Spaniard insists the impressive form of Brazilian full-back Fabio Da Silva has filled the void left by the absence of Friend, who is targeting the visit of relegation-threatened Swansea City on December 17 for his return.

"George is doing really well in his rehab," Karanka said. "He's a key player for us, and he is one who wants to play and who wants to train every day. At present, it looks like he will be back with us in the next one or two weeks, before Christmas.

"Even when he's not playing he is an influential player around the club, he is a key figure in the dressing room and is a real leader for us.

He's a very important player for the team but to be fair to Fabio, with the way he's played he's done so well and we've not really missed George."

Karanka, who confirmed he has no fresh injury problems for Monday night's visit of Hull City, has defender Daniel Ayala available after injury. The 26-year-old hasn't figured since the draw at Arsenal in October, but Karanka revealed: "Daniel has trained with the main group for the last couple of weeks and is available."

After being linked with a £6m move for Harry Maguire, Karanka confirmed the Tigers central defender is a player he likes, although the former Real Madrid number two says he expects a quiet January transfer window. He hasn't totally ruled out some transfer activity, however, and added: "I like him (Maguire) but I have here 26 players so I prefer to concentrate on them.

"I know the players who I want to bring and the players who may leave."

Having identified his targets, Karanka will leave work on transfers to the club's recruitment department, insisting his sole focus is on the imminent visit of Mike Phelan's side, added: "It's an important game because both Hull and ourselves share the same target, but we can't read too much into it because it's December, and we can't drive ourselves crazy thinking it's a final at this stage."