MIDDLESBROUGH will attempt to complete a loan deal for Yannick Bolasie before the end of the month, but Mo Besic’s representatives will have to significantly reduce their financial demands if the Teessiders are to resurrect talks with the Everton midfielder.

Boro kick off their Carabao Cup campaign at home to League Two Notts County this evening, but despite watching his side claim a haul of seven points from their opening three league games, Tony Pulis remains unhappy at the failure to make any permanent signings on last week’s transfer-deadline day.

The window for Football League loan signings remains open until August 31, and Pulis has urged the Boro hierarchy to make a couple of additions as he does not feel the current squad is strong enough to survive the rigours of a Championship season.

He is keen to recruit a winger, having been unable to prevent Adama Traore joining Wolves when the Premier League club triggered a buyout clause in the Spaniard’s contract, and Bolasie remains his number one target.

Boro officials held talks over the Everton winger at the start of the month, but Bolasie refused to countenance a move to the Championship before the Premier League transfer window closed as he was hoping a top-flight club would offer him a move away from Goodison Park.

Despite rumoured interest from Burnley and Crystal Palace, that did not happen, and having been left out of Everton’s 18-man squad for Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Wolves, Bolasie has accepted he does not have a future with his current employers.

Aston Villa are also hoping to line up a loan deal, but Boro will attempt to head off their rivals’ interest in the 29-year-old, who joined Everton in a £20m move from Palace in the summer of 2016.

Everton boss Marco Silva will allow Bolasie to leave on loan, and while the DR Congo international’s £75,000-a-week pay packet could cause a problem, the Boro hierarchy will attempt to negotiate an agreement that is acceptable to all parties.

Pulis is also hoping to sign a central midfielder, and was unhappy at the collapse of a proposed move for Besic on Thursday afternoon.

Boro had agreed a deal with the Bosnia international, but Steve Gibson opted to call off discussions when Besic’s representative attempted to repeatedly renegotiate the financial terms that had been offered to the 25-year-old.

It is understood that in the course of 24 hours, Boro were asked to almost double their financial offering to Besic as well as make a seven-figure payment as an agent’s fee.

That was deemed to be excessive for a player who has been told he does not have a future at Goodison Park, and while the Boro hierarchy have not ruled out a renewed set of discussions, they will only return to the table if Besic’s camp significantly reduce the demands they were making on Thursday afternoon.

Boro looked at alternative targets last week, but despite tabling a series of offers for Millwall duo Jed Wallace and George Saville, the London club stood firm and insisted the pair were not for sale at any price.

A number of alternative loan options will be considered in the next few days, with the Teessiders adamant they will not be held to ransom over a move for Besic.

Having spent most of the last week bemoaning the size of his squad, Pulis will not be risking a number of his established first-team players in tonight’s League Cup game.

Instead, he will turn to some of his fringe performers, as well as a handful of the youngsters that were involved in the pre-season programme.

Having been an unused substitute in the opening three league matches, Dimi Konstontopoulos is set to start in goal, with teenage defender Nathan Wood also in line for a starting spot after impressing in the pre-season game at Rochdale.

Marvin Johnson, Paddy McNair and Marcus Tavernier are expected to be involved in midfield, with Harry Chapman under consideration for a starting spot in attack.

Notts County, managed by former Newcastle United midfielder Kevin Nolan, are looking for their first win of the season after picking up just one point from their opening two League Two games.

“Will there be changes? Yes, definitely,” said Pulis. “We’ve got some very, very good young players here, and it will be nice for them.

“I think the supporters will understand. The squad’s not massive, so we will be making lots of changes for the Notts County game.

“We’ve done fantastic to play three games in a week, but they were three very competitive games and to have the energy that the players showed (against Birmingham) was a huge credit to them.”