GARRY MONK is confident Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson is doing what he can to ensure new players arrive quickly as the pre-season programme prepares for the next level.

Monk is pushing to add his own signings to the squad he has inherited from Aitor Karanka, with Norwich midfielder Jonny Howson and Nottingham Forest striker Britt Assombalonga the leading two targets at this stage.

Middlesbrough are already understood to have missed out on Chris Gunter because of the left-back’s preference to stay at Reading, and Monk would prefer to have new faces on board for the trip to Portugal on Sunday.

But the Middlesbrough boss knows Gibson is the kind of chairman who will be doing everything he can to help him make the required changes to a squad intent on bouncing straight back to the Premier League.

Monk said: "Steve is a good football man and an intelligent football guy. He understands what's needed and we're all working together to do what we can.

"Look, you know how it is at this stage. We've been linked with about 50 players already. There's always stuff out there, a lot of it is dropped in by agents and stuff. We have targets but obviously we'd prefer not to make them public.

"It's about targeting players and if those moves are possible then great, if not we'll move down the list.

"I've had discussions with him about how I work, a plan going forward and how I see Boro and what the squad needs, they've been great discussions and the club is very much on board.”

Leeds-born Howson is keen to return north with his family and has rejected a new contract at Norwich.

Canaries boss Daniel Farke, though, has reiterated a desire to keep him at Carrow Road despite knowing Middlesbrough fancy their chances of signing him.

Farke said: “I have said it a few times about Jonny Howson. I like him as a person, I love him as a player. I think he is a pretty good player who can play number six, eight and ten.

"In my opinion he's one of the best midfielders in the Championship and I would like to work with him longer. I know there are speculations and I don’t want to talk about them. It is part of the business. Jonny is my player. I appreciate him.”

Both Howson and Assombalonga would significantly improve the quality already in the Middlesbrough squad. Both deals are tricky to conclude because of a desire to keep them at their respective clubs.

Assombalonga has already see an offer from Burnley of £8m rejected in the last week, while Middlesbrough are preparing to make an offer edging up towards the £15m mark being demanded by Nottingham Forest. Monk wasn’t prepared to discuss the 24-year-old forward specifically.

But Monk, talking to TalkSport, said: "I've said before that I'll only bring in players that will improve the squad. We have a good core so we're only looking at bringing in players who can help and improve the squad.

"I think there's a really good core. They're all fantastic lads and they've all been really receptive straight away.

"But of course like any club you have to think about what you want to do and how you want the squad to look at the end of the window and how to shape it.

"Myself and the club are working hard with that. I'm sure the squad will start to take shape, it's about looking forward, having a good pre-season and having a good start to the season."

Middlesbrough will also be letting players go. Dutch midfielder Marten de Roon and Cristhian Stuani are two players due back to training Friday, but it would be no surprise to see either leave before the start of the season.

De Roon has been interesting a few clubs, with his former team Atalanta extremely keen to take him back. They have been preparing sizeable offers for him, while there have been offers for him to go on loan too.