MIDDLESBROUGH manager Chris Wilder has revealed they are closing in on several new signings with their respective deals 'down the line' at an advanced stage.

Boro remain hopeful of adding to their squad before the end of the transfer window with Wilder having to use a thin squad in their season opening draw with West Brom.

Previously, the clubs situation was that they were awaiting the green light from clubs to sanction moves to Teesside but Wilder revealed that several deals are now further along.  “I think it’s further down the line (than waiting on permission from parent clubs)” the Boro boss said following their 1-1 draw at the Riverside Stadium.

“It’s just a case with a couple of not getting signed off by us or parent clubs in time for today. We’re down the line with a couple. Paddy (McNair) will be back for next week and everyone got through today okay, so that’s a bonus.

“We could quite easily have had another two or three in this week. We keep working away behind the scenes and hopefully we can make those happen in the next week.”

With Boro close to wrapping up several deals and adding some much needed numbers to their squad, Wilder has also revealed the number of players he would like to bring into his squad before the window closes. “I would say we’re (counts) five short. It’s a chunk of players” he continued. “We weren’t far off having another couple in today. We’re pretty close on quite a lot, but we’re five off.

“You look at out bench and there are three young boys on there. It’s good experience for them and I don’t want to just leave those spaces open because that’s a lack of respect and there will always be opportunities for young players to get something out of it. That’s Boyd-Munce, Hayden Hackney who’s been with us in pre-season, and young Josh up top. On another day, they maybe wouldn’t have been involved.”

There has been a sense of frustration from several corners of the club that business in the transfer market has been slower than they would have liked before the first game of the season. However, it’s not for the want of trying with Wilder also going on record on how tough the market has been for every club in the build up to this weekend.

The Boro boss added: “We are absolutely trying what we need to do to get players in. There’s no slow timing, people above going ‘no I don’t fancy him’. We’ve got targets and we’ve got players that want to come to a really good club.

“27,000 here on the first day and that shows the enthusiasm around what we are doing and potentially we are trying to do. Everybody above me is trying to help as well. I’ve had to concentrate over the last 24-48 hours since Tav went to work that out and the players took it on the chin and left everything out there.”