TONY PULIS is hoping to make a couple of loan signings before the transfer window closes at the end of the month, but the Middlesbrough manager has ruled out any permanent additions to his squad.

Pulis’ focus in the last few days has been on reducing the size of the first-team group he inherited from Garry Monk, with Adam Forshaw having followed Connor Roberts through the exit door on Thursday when he completed a £4.5m move to Leeds United.

Further departures are anticipated in the next fortnight, with Fabio da Silva set to return to Brazil if an acceptable offer arrives, Lewis Baker expected to make an early return to his parent club, Chelsea, and Pulis ready to listen to bids for the likes of Ashley Fletcher, Patrick Bamford and Adam Clayton.

If another three or four players leave, the Boro boss will turn his attention towards incomings as he feels a couple of fresh faces will help reinvigorate his squad and provide some extra competition in some key areas. However, if there are to be signings this month, they will be loan deals rather than permanent transfers.

“I think we need to get a couple in on loan, and we’ll be trying to move things around to get to a position where that can happen,” said Pulis, ahead of this afternoon’s Championship game at QPR. “My view is that they’ll be loan players though, we won’t be signing anyone permanently.

“It’s a not case of not wanting to get stuck with them – it’s more about not being at a stage where I really want to add to what we’ve already got.

“I’m not going to spend money in this window. If I can get another two or three out, then I’ll ask Steve (Gibson) if I can loan a couple. But the man has spent a lot of money on a lot of players at this football club this summer, so I need to see what those players are about and what the club is about too.

“During that process, we’re hoping we get into the play-offs and get promoted. It’s a big ask, but I think I have a responsibility, not only to Steve, but also to the supporters and everybody else at the football club.

“If we’re going to do this properly, we can’t be propping things up. We need to be trying to establish something, and if we haven’t got the solid foundations that are needed, then that’s no good.”

Forshaw is set to make his Leeds debut against Millwall this afternoon, and Pulis readily admits the midfielder’s injury problems at the turn of the year were a key factor in his exit.

Having struggled to hold down a place in the first team under Monk, Forshaw was suffering from a minor niggle when Pulis took over and was forced to miss a number of training sessions. That meant he was not considered for first-team duty, and quickly found himself behind Grant Leadbitter, Jonny Howson, Clayton and even Adlene Guedioura in the senior pecking order.

“I spoke to Adam at great length the other day,” said Pulis. “Unfortunately, because he had a little injury, I never even got the chance to watch him train much really. It was a good move for the player and a good move for the club. We need to move some players on because we’re really top heavy in quite a few positions. That has to change.”

To that end, Pulis will continue to listen to offers for a number of his players, with Nottingham Forest set to step up their interest in Clayton next week. Aitor Karanka is also interested in being reunited with Bamford, although Leadbitter and Daniel Ayala will be deemed off-limits with Pulis adamant he does not want to sell either of the duo.

There has been a degree of interest in Guedioura, with Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy understood to be interested in a possible reunion with the 32-year-old, having first worked with him during his time at Wolves.

“I’m sucking and seeing on everything,” said Pulis. “We’re moving along, and we’ll see how things happen. I don’t want to be saying we’re going to be doing this or that, and then in the end we don’t do it. We’ll suck and see, and see what happens.”

Of more immediate concern is this afternoon’s game at QPR, with Pulis admitting a couple of his players have been struggling with flu over the last few days.

The former Stoke and West Brom boss is hopeful they will be available at Loftus Road, with Boro set to take on a QPR side that have lost just one of their last six league matches.

“It’ll be a tough game,” said Pulis. “It’s always a tough ground to go to, and they’re on a good run of form at the moment. We know it will be difficult.

“We’ll have to be spot on because it’s a tight ground and a difficult place to go. It always has been, and it always will be for me. The supporters are right on top of you, so it’s a good atmosphere and we’re expecting a very competitive game.”