NEIL WARNOCK expects Middlesbrough to finally complete the signing of Andraz Sporar in the next few days, but while he remains hopeful of making further additions before the transfer window closes on Tuesday, the Boro boss has ruled out any more overseas deals.

Even with Sporar set to join on a season-long loan from Sporting Lisbon, Warnock remains in the market for another forward and a wide player following Chuba Akpom’s departure earlier this week.

He confirmed his liking for Oliver Burke yesterday, with Sheffield United looking to offload the Scotland international, and continues to be strongly linked with Rotherham United forward Michael Smith.

However, with Boro having accepted defeat in their pursuit of Mitchell van Bergen, with the Heerenveen winger having opted to join Stade de Reims, Warnock has effectively ruled out any more overseas transfers in the final four days of the window.

“I think we’ve exhausted abroad now,” said the Boro boss, ahead of this afternoon’s home game with Blackburn Rovers. “I don’t think it would be possible to get all the permissions to get a player to come into England now. It’s a bit of a minefield. I think if we bring players in, they’ll be in the Premier League or Championship.

“I don’t think I’ve experienced more difficult periods, since I’ve been here, but that’s how it is, you’ve got to cope with that as a manager. You win some, you lose some. That’s how we’ve gone about things.

“I’m quietly confident (there will be further signings), but I have been in the past and been disappointed. We’ve just got to wait and see what happens.”

One deal that should be confirmed in the next couple of days is Sporar’s season-long switch from Sporting, with the initial loan deal understood to include a clause that could lead to a permanent transfer next summer.

Confirmation of Sporar’s switch to Teesside has been held up by legal and financial red tape in Portugal, but Boro have received assurances over the last 24 hours that the situation is close to being resolved, which should enable the loan to be formally concluded well ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.

However, with Sporar having been called up for Slovenia’s World Cup qualifying triple-header against Slovakia, Malta and Croatia, the 27-year-old forward will now no longer be flying into England before linking up with his national side.

“I’m hoping the Sporar deal will happen and we can put that to bed before the deadline,” said Warnock. “It (the delay) was nothing to do with us – everything has always been agreed with us and the club.

“It was a problem he had with his own club, a financial problem he had to sort out, but hopefully he’s sorted that out and everything can get transferred. I’ve spoken to the player, and he’s looking forward to it.

“He’ll be going straight over there (on international duty) now though. We’ve made sure that where he’s going, we won’t have isolations and things like that. We’re just trying to look ahead to make sure he’s available for the next game.”

Sporar has played in Switzerland and Germany as well as his native Slovenia and his current home, Portugal, and is a versatile forward who can play right across the frontline.

“He’s not an out-and-out number nine, although he has played that role over his period there (at Sporting),” said Warnock. “I just think he’s an energetic lad who’s always on the backline, on the last shoulder, and will give defenders something else to think about.

“That’s what we’re looking for. You’ve seen when Duncan (Watmore) was injured, we haven’t really got anything to go the other way. I think he’ll be a good addition to the squad. “

Boro confirmed Akpom’s departure on Wednesday, with the striker returning to PAOK Salonika little more than a year after the Teessiders shelled out around £2.75m to sign him from Greece.

“Why didn’t it work out? I think it was a mixture of a lot of things,” said Warnock. “At the end of the day, he didn’t show enough during the games to warrant him getting a place, and you’ve got to play games to get yourself fit.

“I never really thought he deserved a run of games because whenever I used him, he didn’t perform. It’s one of things. I spoke to him and I think we all agreed it was best for him to go, and I think he’s quite happy to go back there.”