FOLLOWING a busy start to the January transfer window for Middlesbrough, the club are now looking to balance the books as manager Chris Wilder reveals four players have been made available for transfer.

Uche Ikpeazu and Marcus Browne have been made available for transfer or loan while current loanees James Lea-Siliki and Onel Hernandez will also be allowed to leave.

With Australian midfielder Riley McGree on the cusp of completing his move to the to the club, attentions have now switched to trimming the squad size down and rebalancing the books from a financial point of view.

When quizzed by BBC Radio Tees Sport about potential departures, Wilder revealed: “There are certain players that have been made available.

“Big Uche has been made available for loan and permanent transfer. His personality is fabulous.

“I think for maybe other styles and other systems, he would be suited but the way we want to play, and I’ve been open and honest with him, his game time is going to be very minimal. In terms of balancing the books, we’ve made him available.

“Marcus Browne is in talks with a couple of clubs on a permanent move. James Lea-Siliki has been informed that he’s available as well because of Riley coming into the group and Onel Hernandez is in talks with a couple of clubs.

“Onel has been great for me. Same as Uche, great attitude but he’s a wide player. He plays in a 4-2-3-1, he plays 4-3-3, he plays in a 3-4-3 as a wide player. He’s done a job for us down the middle and he’s give it a right go.

“I’ve got to say for a lad who’s come on loan and we’re making this decision, he’s one of the best pros I’ve worked with. He’s been a joy to work with. He’s another one and from a financial point of view, it’s quite a big number for what we are paying for somebody with game time now at the top of the pitch will be limited.

“I’m looking at the top of the pitch now. I’ve looking at Balogun, Connolly, Watmore and Sporar with Josh Coburn in there. Another young player we are delighted to work with and we want to work with and improve. So we’ve got five for two.

“From a financial point of view, balancing things off with Marcus Browne, Uche, Onel makes sense and it makes sense for them as well because they are desperate to play regular football and no doubt at a different club, all three of them will do that.”

All four players have been short of game time since their arrival at Boro.

Ikpeazu started his first game under Wilder in last weekend’s FA Cup win over Mansfield where he scored in the opening minutes of the game. However, he’d been restricted to late substitute appearances prior to last week’s victory at Field Mill. He’s made just 22 appearances

Browne has been working his way back from long term injury and has been involved with full training sessions. However, Wilder has deemed the attacker surplus to requirements.

Hernandez has started one league game under Wilder which was the Boxing Day win over Nottingham Forest and will be allowed to return to his parent club Norwich City but the Cuban winger is already in talks with other clubs.

Lea-Siliki, who is currently at the African Cup of Nations with Cameroon, has started just two games out of ten appearances since signing on a season long loan deal from French side Rennes.