TONY PULIS has expressed his disappointment at Middlesbrough’s failure to make a single deadline-day signing, and admitted the January transfer window has left the club in a “weaker position” than when they started the month.

Boro made two signings last month – Rajiv van La Parra and John Obi Mikel – but saw Danny Batth, Grant Leadbitter and Martin Braithwaite leave.

The Teessiders chased a host of targets in the final two days of the window, but by the middle of yesterday afternoon it became clear no one would be arriving, and Pulis took his staff to the pub to drown their sorrows.

Boro return to action at West Brom tomorrow, and while Pulis insists promotion is still a realistic ambition with his side sitting in fifth position in the table, he accepts the challenge of making it to the Premier League has become more difficult.

The Northern Echo:

“I’m disappointed,” said the Boro boss. “Everybody around the football club will be disappointed. There’s no hiding the fact there were players we wanted to bring in that we’ve not been able to.

“There are areas of the team that ever since I joined I’ve wanted to strenghen. Unfortunately, we’ve not been able to do that again.

“It’s a window that in some respects has made the team weaker rather than stronger. Danny (Batth) going has left us weaker there. Mikel and van La Parra are good signings and will help us at the back end of the season, but we’re disappointed.”