AITOR KARANKA will not actively pursue more loan signings this month – provided Middlesbrough can retain the services of Bruno Zuculini for the rest of the year.

Manchester City midfielder Zuculini has made three appearances at the heart of the Boro team since completing a one-month loan deal at the end of October.

The Argentine is in contention to figure when Queens Park Rangers head for the Riverside Stadium on Friday night, with Karanka hopeful of extending the deal before next Thursday’s deadline for emergency loans.

Middlesbrough are already in discussions with City to keep Zuculini and the likeliest scenario is that he will remain on Teesside until the New Year when a fresh loan deal could be struck for the rest of the campaign.

Karanka said: “We are working to extend his loan until December or January because I think he is doing really well.

“Bruno played – not really well against Hull – but as I said after that game he is the kind of player I like. He missed passes, he didn't play well but he always wanted the ball, he's always ready, his character is strong, he is helping us a lot. He's a good kid and he's enjoying his time with us.

“It's easy to adapt to this changing room and this club. All the players who are arriving now fit in very quickly and are happy here.”

Zuculini’s arrival in October took the number of domestic loans at Middlesbrough to five. Fernando Amorebieta (from Fulham), Jack Stephens (Southampton), Tomas Kalas (Chelsea) and Diego Fabbrini have all made the move, while goalkeeper Michael Agazzi is still to play after joining from AC Milan.

“At the moment we are not looking for any more loans because we already have six, and you can only have five on the teamsheet,” said Karanka.

“I don't want to bring a player here on loan who will not be involved in the team. If we have problems and we need cover for injuries, maybe yes, but not at this moment.”

Middlesbrough head in to Friday’s visit of QPR intent on recovering from the 3-0 defeat at Hull City before the international break. A victory would close the gap to the automatic promotion places to a point before the Tigers and Brighton play this weekend.

Karanka is due to meet Cristhian Stuani this afternoon to determine his state of fitness after travelling to Uruguay for two internationals he was left on the bench; he had passed himself fit from thigh and groin tears.

“I don’t know what he has been doing in the last two weeks. I don’t know if he will play,” said Karanka, who hopes to name the South American on the bench.

“For sure he will not play from the beginning because he has not trained with us. He arrives Thursday afternoon. I will speak to him and then decide.”