THE clock may well be ticking down on Middlesbrough's hopes of strengthening before the transfer window closes, but manager Gareth Southgate wishes it was all over now.

As well as keeping his options open with regard to signings, Southgate also has the unwanted headache of dealing with the on going Stewart Downing saga this month.

Downing remains at the club, despite well-documented interest in from Tottenham, and the fans sang his name at Ewood Park on Saturday amid the transfer talk surrounding him.

Having failed to be rewarded with the new contract he feels he deserves at the Riverside Stadium, the possibility of him moving on has been strong, provided Tottenham match the £12m valuation, while Everton are also interested.

But Southgate insists that Downing - or any of his players linked with January moves from the club - are deserving of their places in his team after contributing to the 1-1 draw at Blackburn.

And the Middlesbrough boss, who is still hoping to add Heerenveen's Afonso Alves before the end of the month, is looking forward to the day the deadline passes and he can concentrate on the rest of the campaign.

"To be fair the players have been fine," said Southgate, who could also still swoop for Lyon's Brazilian striker Fred. "As soon as players get on the field they are fine. That is where they are happiest and most comfortable.

"But I will be delirious when it is over and the transfer window has closed. The club will calm down then. The players know who they are with and where they are staying and we can all get on with things."

Southgate was talking after watching his team claim a point at Blackburn, who were lucky to avoid defeat.

Tuncay Sanli, Jeremie Aliadiere and David Wheater all had fantastic opportunities to grab a second for Boro, but instead it was Blackburn who managed to find the crucial goal.

Referee Keith Stroud's poor performance certainly had a huge impact on the result and Southgate feels that it was his team that were, largely, on the receiving end.

But, after extending the gap to the relegation zone to two points, the boss did not want to reflect too much on Mr Stroud.

"The chances we missed we should have taken but I am not going to be critical of my players,"

said Southgate.

"We were together as a team and we have given absolutely everything.

"There was so much that was good and I am happy and the players should be pleased. I thought there was a clear handball in the run up to the free-kick that led to their goal but the less said about the referee the better.

"There are the right channels to use if we want to make some points about him and maybe we will have to do that.''