Head coach Aitor Karanka has shrugged off suggestions that Boro have broken the bank to assemble their promotion-chasing squad this season.
The Spaniard is plotting an FA Cup upset at free-spending Manchester City this afternoon, with Boro set to lock horns with a star-studded side assembled at a cost of more than £200m.
Boro’s summer business can hardly be compared to the likes of City, who were this week ranked sixth in the Deloitte football rich list, but Karanka did spend more than £4m on the signings of Kike Garcia and Adam Clayton.
When asked if Boro had pumped all of their resources into clinching Premier League promotion this year, Karanka argued the only funds spent have been those recouped from recent departures.
“We haven’t spent that much money,” Karanka said.
“All the players we’ve brought here are from the money we’ve brought in from selling (Lukas) Jutkiewicz and (Marvin) Emnes.
“Everybody always says ‘it’s Boro, Boro are spending’, but we haven’t spent much.
“The money we have spent was on Clayton and Kike, and that was the same amount we sold.
“We have a very good squad and the salary level is pretty much what we had last season, so the team’s doing really well and they believe in the project.
“All the players who are here wanted to come here and that’s pleasing. They’ve not just come for money, it’s because they believed in the project.”
Boro’s task at the Etihad Stadium couldn’t be tougher this afternoon, with Manuel Pellegrini vowing to play a strong team after last weekend’s drab defeat to Arsenal.
But Karanka admitted his side’s preparation for today’s match has been easier than usual.
“Man City are probably the easiest side to scout because they are on TV every week,” Karanka added.
“We have so much information on them so it’s not difficult to see how they set up. Analysing them is not the problem - the problem is to play against them.
“This sort of game is great for the fans, It’s five or six years since they were in the Premier League so it’s going to be special to remember the days that Boro were there.
“We can all go and enjoy it and hopefully we’ll get there and play there again in the future.
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