'Boro unlikely to bring in new goalkeeper this month', says Aitor Karanka

Boro are unlikely to scour the January transfer market to bring in a new goalkeeper, says Aitor Karanka.

The club have recently allowed Jason Steele to make his Blackburn Rovers stay permanent, while Jamal Blackman returned to Chelsea after making only one appearance for the Teessiders.

As a result, some Boro fans have expressed their concern over the club’s back-up options to Dimi Konstantopoulos and feel they must recruit a new stopper this month.

In The Gazette’s half-term survey published this week, more than 30% of Boro fans felt a new goalkeeper should be the club’s transfer priority in January.

But with Konstantopoulos, Tomas Mejias and Connor Ripley on the club’s books, Karanka suggested a new goalkeeper isn’t top of his wish-list this month.

“In football you never know what will happen, but at the moment I’m happy with the three goalkeepers I have,” Karanka said.

Boro have looked to move quickly in the January transfer window to avoid any late rush for business.

Tomas Kalas looks set to sign on loan from Chelsea, with a deal hoped to be completed in time for tomorrow’s Championship clash at Reading.

The future of Tottenham midfielder Milos Veljkovic also needs to be resolved, with his current loan spell at the Riverside set to expire later this month.

The Serbian looks set to start for Boro at the Madejski Stadium tomorrow, and Karanka confirmed earlier this month that he has already decided if he wants to Veljkovic’s Teesside stay.

“Milos is improving and I have to think (if he will start at Reading),” Karanka said yesterday.

“I don’t know at the moment if he is going to play but he’s playing well, and we need to think about his (long-term) future as well.”

Adam Clayton is suspended for Boro’s trip to Berkshire tomorrow, while Ryan Fredericks (thigh) remains on the sidelines.

Flying full-back Fredericks hasn’t featured for the Teessiders in five weeks after limping off against Blackburn.

Meanwhile Rhys Williams (Achilles) will miss the rest of the season, while Damia Abella (cruciate) remains a long-term absentee and Emilio Nsue is on international duty with Equatorial Guinea.