AFTER he ties up a move for former Sunderland midfielder Dean Whitehead over the weekend, Tony Mowbray will turn his attentions to strengthening Middlesbrough's attacking department.

As revealed in The Northern Echo earlier this month, Mowbray has been tracking Whitehead for some time and will make the 31-year-old his second summer signing following the arrival of Jozsef Varga.

Mowbray admitted last week that he had held talks with the former Stoke City midfielder earlier in the summer and he will complete his move to Teesside when he becomes a free agent on Monday.

The Boro boss has stressed the need to add more quality to his squad during the close season and he sees Whitehead, who will link up with former Sunderland team-mate Grant Leadbitter, as a key component of his squad next season.

Patience has been the key for Boro over the past two months, but they will press ahead in the hope of adding more new signings in the coming weeks.

Having lost the likes of Nicky Bailey and Josh McEachran, Varga and Whitehead will give Mowbray a midfield boost, but there are still other areas of the squad he is keen to strengthen.

The Boro boss has admitted his desire to bring in a 20-goal-a-season striker and has looked at several attacking players over the summer.

Wolves forward Sylvain Ebanks-Blake has been considered, but Mowbray understands some of his targets may not come to fruition until later on in the transfer window.

"We're looking at strikers we feel can score a lot of goals for us," Mowbray revealed.

"You have players in mind but sometimes their expectations are too high in May and June, then in July and August that might change because they want to find a club and get training as quickly as possible.

"We are looking at that area of the pitch as well. We didn't have anybody run away and score 20-30 goals for us. Scott got 13, Juke got ten, Marvin didn't hit the same heights as he did the year before, so we'll be looking for someone who can reach that sort of tally."

Real Madrid's peripheral forward Javier Acuna is being considered, but while he is in the market to bolster his attacking ranks, Mowbray has thrown down a challenge to Lukas Jutkiewicz.

The former Coventry City man's season was hampered by injuries, but he still managed to score ten goals in 20 starts and Mowbray believes the 24-year-old can establish himself as the club's leading forward next season.

He said: "We have to remember we have some very good strikers here. Juke, for instance.

"Lukas will be champing at the bit to stay fit, to come back and show everybody his worth and make himself the number one lead striker and he'll be given every opportunity to do that.

"He was blighted with four injuries last year and only came in for intervals but I'm hopeful Juke can come in and show he's the man.

Meanwhile, Boro target Jacques Maghoma has joined Sheffield Wednesday on a two-year deal.

Two of Boro’s Championship away fixtures have been put back 24 hours.

The trip to Derby County, scheduled for Tuesday December 3, will now take place on Wednesday December 4 (7.45pm kick-off).


The visit to Reading, scheduled for Monday April 21, will now be played on Tuesday April 22 (8pm).

Boro's Capital One Cup game against Accrington Stanley at the Riverside will be played on Tuesday August 6 at 7.45pm.