A WEEK without any signings in the January transfer window sounds a bit strange from Middlesbrough’s point of view at the moment. That only highlights their impressive business so far with four new players through the door in the first half of the month.

Whilst Aaron Connolly, Folarin Balogun, Riley McGree and Caolan Boyd-Munce have all been brought in the club, manager Chris Wilder has been quick to assure fans that their business isn’t done with areas of improvement identified by himself and the recruitment staff.

Boro’s focus has recently switched to offloading numbers in the squad with three players currently on the transfer list. Uche Ikpeazu, James Lea-Siliki and Marcus Browne have all been told they can leave the club with Browne already in talks with other clubs other a move elsewhere.

The club’s ability to offload unwanted players may well dictate potential business elsewhere this month with Boro looking to balance the books.

Nevertheless, Wilder has been delighted with the club’s fruitfulness in this month’s window.

“That was the key that we all talked about” said the 54-year-old.

“The window opens up the first but there was work going on ever since I walked through the door. It was a key area and it was always going to be a big period of the season to do business and the word that I’ve used quite often is smart business.

“The outs sort of balance off the ins as well so it’s not an open chequebook. We’re trying to balance that off in terms of numbers and from a financial point of view as well.

“To definitely get the four in early part of the window is good for everybody. If we can continue in that vein then we’ll all be delighted.”

Wilder and Head of Football Kieran Scott’s work ahead of the window has paid off.

The club are enjoying a rich vein of form on the pitch which has spearheaded their charge up the Championship table and into the play-offs. Seven wins from their last eight games which include five wins in a row has given fans plenty of optimism about the season ahead and created a feel good factor around the club.

The Riverside Stadium was witness to a dramatic win last weekend as Boro scored in stoppage time for the third game in a row to clinch a win, this time over Reading winning 2-1 on the afternoon.

But the Boro boss is not content and doesn’t wish to rest on his laurels both on and off the pitch. He and Scott have looked at other positions on the pitch that they feel can further improve on before the 31st January. But they won’t be panic buys.

Wilder added: “There is a couple of areas we’ve identified if we can do. If we can’t and it doesn’t make us any better then we won’t do it because the group is in a better place than what it was two or three weeks ago in my opinion.

“That’s my job and Kieran’s job but there’s a couple of areas that if we can, we’d like to.

“Early part of the window has been very good and we’re delighted with the work but if we can finish it off in the second part of the window then we are in good nick and hopefully looking forward to the second part of the season.”

Boro aren’t in Championship action until Monday night where they make the trip to Tony Mowbray’s Blackburn Rovers. Their ten match unbeaten run came to an end in midweek losing 2-0 away to Hull City but they remain in third place in the table.

Top scorer Ben Brereton Diaz will be missing from the game with the striker on international duty with Chile. However, defender Daniel Ayala could face his old side Boro at Ewood Park.