NEIL WARNOCK has told Patrick Roberts he will ‘not stand in his way’ if the winger decides he wants to cut short his loan deal with Middlesbrough next month.

Roberts signed a season-long loan agreement when he returned to the Riverside from Manchester City in the summer, but things have not exactly gone to plan in the last three months.

The 23-year-old has made just three Championship starts this season, the most recent of which came a month ago, and has been a peripheral figure despite Warnock regularly bemoaning the lack of wide-attacking options at his disposal.

The Boro boss is hoping to add two new attacking wide players when the transfer window reopens next month, and while he insists he would ideally like to keep Roberts in his squad, he will understand if the former England Under-21 international decides he would rather head elsewhere.

“I’ve had a chat with Patrick, and he’s aware of the situation,” said Warnock, whose side now have a free weekend after their Boxing Day game against Rotherham United was postponed. “I think the lad wants to play.

“I don’t want him to leave, but I’ve said to him that if he wants to, or if he thinks he can improve his chances of playing by going somewhere different, then I wouldn’t stand in his way. He’s aware of that.

“Unless it’s a good club, he might as well stay here and try to fight for his place, really. He’s enjoying it, and this morning was probably his best training session since I’ve been here. I was pleased with him and said to him, ‘Well done’.

“I don’t think anybody is in a rush, but I do feel for these lads, like I did for (Lewis) Wingy and (Hayden) Coulson. Wingy’s done it the right way – he’s been super in training and shown me he doesn’t want to leave. He’s come into the team and done well, that’s what you’ve got to do. I know it’ll be more difficult (for Roberts) if I can sign another couple of players, but I feel we need more strength around the goals area.”

Warnock had a meeting with chief executive Neil Bausor yesterday morning to discuss transfer matters, and has already held talks with a couple of prospective targets in the hope of being able to push through at least one deal in the first few days of the transfer window.

Everton’s Yannick Bolasie is a long-standing target who has been lined up for a possible loan move next month, and with Grant Hall having been sidelined for at least another month, Warnock is also considering a move for a defender.

“I think I would possibly like more than I’m going to get, but I don’t mean that in a selfish way,” he said. “We’ve looked at players that would fit our bill, and there’s a couple I’d like attacking wise.

“But then there’s also a defender I’d like as well. Ideally, I’d like to give Nathan Wood a few months of playing first-team football, he’s busting a gut to do that, but we can’t allow that until we know that Grant’s on the way back and we’ve got another body in that area.”

Warnock has also been in talks with an attacking target based overseas, and while the recent tightening of coronavirus regulations has scuppered his hopes of being able to make a scouting trip overseas at the start of next month, a deal could still be in the offing.

“I spoke to this lad,” said Warnock. “He doesn’t speak much English so I had an interpreter with me. I’ve told him about the club and what I see in him, and he seems a good lad.

“I think it might be difficult to come from abroad now for three months, and come and settle in and play well. It might be a better thing to try to think about the summer, when you’ve got a bit of time. If they want to go ahead over this period when they’ve seen the two games, and they want to buy this lad, then he does look a bit of a jewel so it’s up to them.

“I don’t think the fans or club should expect too much if we got this lad though, it’s going to take time. You can’t expect the world. I’m not too bothered. For our needs at the moment, we’re probably better off getting someone who has been in the Championship, then think about that further along the line.”