TONY PULIS has revealed that Danish forward Martin Braithwaite has got “the move he wanted” after watching Middlesbrough start the new year with a point at Frank Lampard’s Derby County.

Braithwaite was not at Pride Park to see the his Boro team-mates respond to falling behind to a Harry Wilson strike inside 90 seconds by grabbing an equaliser through the head of Jordan Hugill seven minutes after the break.

The point means Middlesbrough stay ahead of Derby in the battle for promotion, although both remain six shy of second placed Norwich City and a further two adrift of leaders Leeds United, who lost at Nottingham Forest.

Middlesbrough, who play Peterborough in the FA Cup on Saturday, are now looking to make changes to the squad following the opening transfer window, having already secured the services of Huddersfield’s Rajiv van la Parra on loan.

The number of additions could well be determined by departures, and Braithwaite is set to be the first out of the exit door after heading to Spain to finalise a deal with Leganes.

Pulis said: “We will do business, in and out. Braithwaite is talking to Leganes as we talk. The club who were interested in him in the summer. We think that will happen.

“I have not had a lot of time with him, I had two or three weeks before he went last season on loan, four or five months this season. Good luck if he wants to go. He wanted to go in summer. He has got his move now.”

Braithwaite moved to the Riverside 18 months ago from Toulouse in a £9m move and Pulis let him go to Bordeaux on loan last January. It will be loan at this stage.

But Pulis is excited to have van la Parra on board. He said: “If you look at our performances we have been very good away from home, at home we have not had that pace and quality to break teams down. He gives us that pace and quality and he is a leg beater. He will give us a little bit more.”

Middlesbrough fielded five recognised centre midfielders at Derby, with Jonny Howson and George Saville asked to play on the flanks rather than field Marcus Tavernier or Stewart Downing there.

Pulis said: “Sav and Jonny have both played wide. I thought they did really well, we got all over them and swarmed all over them at times.”

When Wilson got in behind Middlesbrough’s defence so cheaply early on it looked like being a disastrous New Year’s Day, having already been forced to withdraw Aden Flint because of a hamstring problem before kick-off.

Pulis said: “I was disappointed to lose Aden before kick-off, it was a massive blow. We were on the back foot, they got the goal but the response was fantastic.

“We took control for long periods of the games. Danny Batth’s chance was probably the best chance of the game. He should score, even if it was a good save, but he should score. Then Daniel Ayala should have headed it back across goal, two players were there to tap in.

“But the players have worked hard today. Especially after such an early set back. Aden has a hamstring injury. We are not sure how serious. He felt it at the end of the Ipswich game, we thought he had a bit of cramp. He will miss the cup game.

“I am sure we fell asleep at the beginning, it maybe disrupted everyone, we are disappointed. Derby had a great result at Norwich so to give them a leg up after Norwich, I thought a tough afternoon was ahead. But I thought they got about their jobs well. Jordan Hugill’s goal was a great header.”

Pulis defended George Saville after the game because Lampard, the Derby boss, thought the midfielder could have been sent off for a strong tackle on Jack Marriott.

But Lampard said: “I think it felt like a red card at the time, it was a dangerous tackle. They slightly got away with that one. It happens but looked like a red I thought. They're a physical side, I don't mind that, but the tackle was over the top.”

On the result, Lampard said: “I expected Middlesbrough to be there and still do. They're very tough defensively, don't lose many or give away many goals.

“The teams below, Forest, Aston Villa, Stoke, the squads they have and money spent and what they'll potentially do in January, which we won't be able to do, we'll have to work hard to stay in the race.”