Assessing his January business, Karanka said: "I am happy because I have a better squad than the one I started the transfer window with"
Danny Graham comes off the bench for Boro at Doncaster
Aitor Karanka has declared himself satisfied with his transfer window business and insists the squad is stronger now than it was on New Year’s Day.
On deadline day, Boro signed Sunderland stiker Danny Graham and Peterborough forward Lee Tomlin on loan until the end of the season.
Last month, the club also signed Kenneth Omeruo and Nathaniel Chalobah from Chelsea for the remainder of the campaign while Lukas Jutkiewicz and Marvin Emnes moved to Bolton and Swansea respectively on loan.
Unfortunately, Boro were unable to extend Shay Given’s loan and the Aston Villa keeper will return to his parent club at the end of this month.
At the start of January, Karanka said he wanted to thin out his squad and as a result Frazer Richardson (Ipswich), Luke Williams (Hartlepool), Andy Halliday (Blackpool), Adam Reach (Bradford), Charlie Wyke (Wimbledon) and Richard Smallwood (Rotherham) all left on loan deals while Faris Haroun had his contract cancelled by mutual consent and has moved on to Blackpool.
Boro January transfer business: Ins and Outs
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Assessing his January business, Karanka said: “I am happy because I have a better squad than the one I started the transfer window with.
“It’s not that the players who went out are worse than the ones I have now, it’s better because the players outside the squad will now be playing and I think for Juke it will help to have a change of scene and Marvin has gone to the Premier League, which will be good for him.
“The young players will get confidence from playing for other teams so it’s better for them and it’s better for me because I have a squad of 21, 22 players, which is ideal for my training sessions.
“I have what I wanted at the beginning of the transfer window, a squad of 21, 22 players plus the keepers.
“I think it’s good for everybody that the window is closed because everybody has been a little bit distracted.”
Karanka believes Graham and Tomlin can make a big impact over the remainder of the season.
“Danny is a very good player who was here in the Academy when he was younger,” added the Boro boss.
“He was one of my first choices when the transfer window was opened and I am happy that we have got him here.
“Lee is a No10 player who has scored a lot of goals.
“His best position is behind the striker but he can play in all the positions behind the striker, left or right.”
Tomlin, 24, arrived at Boro serving a suspension and won’t be available to make his debut until the Leeds game on February 22 at the earliest.
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