JONATHAN WOODGATE is confident Middlesbrough will still add to his squad before this Friday’s transfer deadline, having been rocked by the news that recently signed winger Patrick Roberts could miss the next two months.

Roberts, on loan from Manchester City for the rest of the campaign, has been told he will not play until the end of March with the hamstring injury he sustained against Birmingham. That could take in at least 11 of the remaining Championship games.

Middlesbrough will have striker Britt Assombalonga available again after his ankle injury sustained against Charlton in early December, while Dael Fry can play after recovering from the hamstring problem that forced him off in the last game.

“George Friend is back and Ryan Shotton is back but they will have a (under-23s) game Sunday and another the week after, then available for first team selection after that. Patrick Roberts is six-eight weeks, Daniel Ayala is still four weeks away,” said Woodgate.

“Roberts is a real blow. Disappointed about that, it’s a hamstring injury. There have been a few of those recently in the game, it’s because there are games constantly, players get burned out and he hasn’t played much football.”

The Roberts blow means Woodgate is now considering options in the final third again, but he has is not interested in signing Rangers winger Jordan Jones this month.

As well as strengthening in that area, Middlesbrough also want a new defender with Watford target Ben Gibson and Leicester’s Filip Benkovic are highest in their thinking despite competition.

“Hopefully maybe a couple will come in,” said Woodgate. “Nothing (on Ben), let’s wait and see what the next couple of days brings. There are a few others, no names and I am under strict orders not to say.

“It’s no problem if we don’t bring more in, we all know where we are short, but I am sure we will do something.”

Woodgate, who has today been linked with Shrewsbury midfielder Josh Laurent and Livingston striker Lyndon Dykes, claimed he was “not sure” if there would be any outgoings.

But he is looking forward to seeing his team get back into action against Blackburn after having last weekend off.

He said: “It has been good to get a weekend break into the boys, worked hard recently, you can see the last couple of days they are right back at it.

“The players need to keep working as hard as they can, sometimes they get a bit of luck and sometimes they don’t.”