TONY PULIS expects Martin Braithwaite to be the subject of ongoing transfer speculation in the next couple of months, but has urged the forward to focus his attention on firing Middlesbrough closer to the Premier League.

Braithwaite submitted a formal transfer request in the summer in an attempt to force through a move to Spanish side Leganes, but Pulis forced him to remain on Teesside when it became clear he would be unable to secure a replacement.

Leganes are poised to make a renewed approach when the transfer window reopens, but speaking in his native Denmark last week, Braithwaite claimed he would not be trying to engineer an exit at the turn of the year.

That is positive news from a Boro perspective, although Pulis does not expect the 27-year-old’s comments to be the end of the matter. He is anticipating more uncertainty once the transfer window reopens, but is hoping Braithwaite will not be unsettled for the second transfer period in a row.

“I haven’t seen what he said or what he hasn’t said,” said the Boro boss, ahead of this afternoon’s tea-time game at Brentford. “All I want him to do is play the best he can for this football club up until the window, and the up until the next window after that.

“I think speculation will just follow him around. I’ve had it before, there’s always talk about him going, about this, about that.”

Braithwaite was involved in both of Denmark’s recent games, scoring in a 2-1 win in Wales and playing 78 minutes of a goalless draw with the Republic of Ireland. As a result, he could find himself omitted from the starting line-up at Griffin Park.

“I haven’t really seen him this week,” said Pulis. “He only came back (on Thursday). I haven’t had a lot of time to look at his stats, but I’ll look at what his output has been and decide whether he starts, is on the bench or whether we rest him because it’s a three-game week.”